From Edirin Robinson, in Kaduna
A cleric, Rev. Anointed Paul from Ecwa Church, Kaduna, has given reasons for the high cases of divorce among couples in Nigeria, saying that the lack of fear of God brings marriages to ruins.
He revealed this while speaking during the solemnization of the holy matrimony of Miss Sim and Musa Jatau at the House of Purpose Ministry at U/Sunday.
He said that the first responsibility of every man and woman is respect and honor for God, adding that failure to recognize this truth leads couples to experience unending crises.
Drawing inspiration from the book of Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, he admonished the Couple on the topic: The Blessings of the Couple that Fears God.
According to him, many jump into marriage carrying a lot of emotions for each other without paying detailed attention to the main elements of a Christian marriage.
“The responsibility of every couple is not to your spouse but to have the fear of God, serving him faithfully. This fear will help you resolve your differences with ease.
“But the Christian family is going down in shambles because we lack the fear of God with divorce now becoming the order of the day, the numbers are increasing.
“The truth is that when we lack the fear of God, his blessings elude us because the flesh will rule. That is when you will be seeing many wrong things with your spouse that you can’t let go or forgive,” he said.
Rev. Anointed also harped on the issue of traditions and customs that pose a barrier to marriages in Africa, noting that many laws are oppressive and frustrating.
“The issue of Bride price in Africa is a different ball game. A responsible man will come and make his intentions known to marry a lady but the burden that will be given to him will chase him away.
“That is why you find that some men mistreat their in-laws after marriage because they misused the opportunity to build a bond with their son-to-be.”
The cleric charged every couple to be conscious of the vows of “till death do us part,” saying it would prevent them from making a mess of their lives and marriages.
“The society is sick today because many people assume the responsibilities of God which leads to an unhealthy marriage.
“No healthy marriage leads to no healthy offspring, and that leads to an unhealthy society. Marriage is a vow that produces a godly generation.
“Psalms 128:1-6 makes us understand that a godly marriage attracts favor; it helps the spouses to become an addition to each other and not a curse.”
