Marriage a Covenant

Marriage is a covenant! This idea became a fact after my sister shared this post with me.  Mr. Asif Iftikhar, an Islamic scholar posted this after he attended the wedding of my sister. Mr. Iftikhar is  a Professor of Islamic Studies, Islamic Law and Business Ethics at Lahore University of Management Sciences. He has been a great influence on our family. Currently, he is completing his PhD in Islamic Studies from McGill University. He is also under formal guidance of Mr. Javed Ahmed Ghamidi. He has mentored my brother with his deep knowledge on various subjects’ such as religion, ethics, and social values. Based on his quote above, I would definitely state that his knowledge about Christian religion is more profound than many of the claiming Christian preachers and scholars I have heard or met. Mr. Iftikhar used the word commitment to express and communicate the true meaning of covenant in marriage.  In marriage, covenant is a commitment between two people individually and mutually with God. They offer themselves to God to use them as a vessel so they could love their partner and value them significantly. We have often heard the word agape love. Agape love is the love of God which can only be seen in a relationship when God is in it. God uses humans as a vessel to transfer his love. We have to submit ourselves to God and let Almighty use us!

Moreover, this idea of commitment was validated when I connected dots between a sermon I heard at a wedding and this profound intellectual notion that Mr. Iftikhar shared. The sermon was based on an actual event. The pastor involved the couple at the wedding to role play. He gave $100 bill to the couple beginning of the sermon as a wedding gift. Before he could hand the money to them he dropped it. He tried giving the money again but this time when he dropped it he stepped over it. He crumpled, wrinkled and creased it. The bill looked worn and awful! The couple was shocked with the pastor's attitude. Finally, after all the crumpling and wrinkling he asked the couple if they still wanted it. They both nodded. The rationale that they gave was the value of the bill. He gave them the money and said how you value this bill value each other. The value that the pastor demonstrated would have not translated well if the commitment was not there. The value is not just of one another but also for the word of God, the love of God and the promise made to God.

Marriage is an agreement which should be valued. When people do not value that agreement or covenant they make with God, they tend to fail!