INTRODUCTION

The godly choice of who to marry cannot always be as obvious as it was for Adam and Eve, and yet a wrong choice can bring about lifelong consequences. Wise counsel is imperative! Samson’s choice was ultimately of the Lord, but not because it was wise. His parents knew it was a bad choice and attempted to lead him in another direction. Esau, in his rebellion, sought a wife that would not meet the approval of his parents (Genesis 28:6-9 [6] When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padanaram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughers of Canaan; [7] And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padanaram; [8] And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father; [9] Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife.
See All...). Throughout the Old Testament, parents were involved in the process of choosing a spouse. It may not be a direct command from God, but it is a wise principle. Parents are not always right, but the Lord is pleased to use them in this decision making process.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For smaller children) Ruth chose to live with Naomi because she wanted to serve the true God (Ruth1:15-16). God led Ruth to the right field to work. Ruth listened to the wise counsel of her mother-in-law (Ruth 2:19-23 [19] And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man's name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz. [20] And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen. [21] And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest. [22] And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not in any other field. [23] So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.
  See All...; Ruth 3:5-6 [5] And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do. [6] And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that her mother in law bade her.
  See All...; Proverbs 19:20Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
  See All...). She became the great grandmother of David (Ruth 4:17And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
  See All...).
• Who brought Eve to Adam? Who was involved in the selecting of a wife for Isaac (Genesis 24:1-3 [1] And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. [2] And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: [3] And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:
  See All..., 50)? Why is it dangerous to make the decision all alone?
• Some have taken this principle and made it a command. What are some scenarios where parents might not be able to be a help? Who could offer wise counsel to you?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask God to work in the lives of those who are not yet married.
• Ask God to help those who have not made wise choices.

HYMN

In Times Like These

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