Women Preparing for Marriage, Part I Prov. 31:10-29 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
Women preparing for marriage often concern themselves more with finding a man and making wedding plans, coming up with the right invitations, registering for their gifts, finding the right photographer and florist and so forth than with preparing themselves. When you are preparing for marriage, you should be much more concerned with preparing yourself than with preparing your wedding. When preparing for marriage, you should:
Develop virtuous qualities – Prov 31:10-29; 1 Pet 1:5 – the virtuous qualities of the virtuous woman in Prov 31 are essential to a good marriage. She is trustworthy [Prov 31:11], she is not spoiled [Prov 31:11], she is good [Prov 31:12], she works willingly with her hands [Prov 31:13], she takes great care of her home and her family [Prov 31:15-22], she is wise [Prov 31:26], she is kind [Prov 31:26], and she is not idle [Prov 31:27]. A virtuous woman like this excels them all [Prov 31:29].
Fear the Lord – Prov 31:30 – this is the highest quality of all among her virtuous qualities. The fear of the Lord is essential not only for marriage but for working out your own salvation [Phil 2:12-13]. This is a fear that draws you closer to the Lord and further away from sin.
Serve the Lord – 1 Cor 7:34 – you should learn to serve the Lord at an early age. You may find that you don’t want to marry because you care for the things of the Lord. Kristine is a registered nurse who is a medical missionary in Africa. God has used her labors to open the door of the gospel to villages that the missionaries with whom she works could not get in. Rachel was born in Africa as the child of missionaries. She moved to Haiti and God used her to care for children who would have otherwise been killed because they were a twin. Many children and their mothers came to Christ through her labors. Neither of these women is married.
Develop a meek and quiet spirit – 1 Pet 3:4 – this includes a chaste conversation in 1 Pet 3:2. The meek and quiet spirit is of great price because it is difficult and rare. But you will never brow beat your husband into obedience by contentious murmuring and complaining. You must learn to trust God [1 Pet 3:5].
Mortify your members on earth – Col 3:5 – much of the trouble among young people today is connected with their use and abuse of the internet and cell phones. You are picking up things that are not good. Covetousness, inordinate affection, and envy are among the sins that result from so much time on social media. Look at Eph 5:3-7. Paul said, “Let it not be once named among you… be not ye therefore partakers with them.” The stuff to which you are exposed and the things that people display and post are not suitable for your eyes, mind and heart. They defile your spirit and affect your life.
Conclusion: when you are preparing for marriage you must start by preparing yourself. This is the first part of a two part series on this subject.