Marriage Message

As soon as we, my younger sister for whose marriage meeting we came and my niece, arrived Imphal, the burden of the day was on how the marriage should be conducted. A healthy discussion at length took place, looking into the minute detail of marriage arrangements, keeping in view the practices of the family and the consideration of the village we hail from. I kept my calm and allowed the Lord to work in His own way.

It was in the morning of the day before the scheduled marriage meeting arranged by the bride's side, we decided to conduct a small "sent-off meeting" for my younger sister. Within few minutes, everything were arranged and I also had to speak from the bride's side. The meeting went well with prayer and support from the brothers from the church in Lamka and Imphal. Though no prior arrangement was made, the presence of the members of the Body was such a comfort. I simply relied on them and we coordinated for the entire meeting. Everything fit in perfectly well in time. Praise the Lord! And I ended up preaching the gospel publicly to all my villagers, especially to the village head-men who were specially seated on the font row. Though I did not really intend to do it, the Spirit led me to do so when I actually stood up to speak. This was the first ever public gospel preaching in the history of our village who has been opposing the gospel of Jesus Christ since the very beginning. (I believe the Lord has been answering our prayer for our village, therefore, He led me to preach the gospel in a marriage sent-off meeting!)

For the main marriage meeting the following, we were escorted to the bride's place by a host of twelve vehicles. I was lodged in the quarter of the meeting hall where the marriage was conducted. The night before I was looking to the Lord in prayer what to speaking within the five minutes given to me to speak from the bride's family side, then the Lord gave me the following verses and burden:

Glory to God: Firstly to give glory to God as all things are out from Him as the source, and through Him as the course, and to Him as the goal. I made it clear that the marriage was God's plan for God's glory. 

Romans 11:36 - Because out from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.  

We are the Lord's: All the family members and all the believers (about two thousands) attending the meeting are the Lord's. It was not a marriage between Naga and Kuki tribe nor between Palmei and Lunkim clan, but between a brother and sister in the Lord in the presence of the church for the Lord's testimony.

Romans 14:8 - For whether we live, we live to the Lord, and whether we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore whether we live or we die, we are the Lord’s. 

Christ First in All Things: Christ must have the first place in everything; in this marriage, in the relationship between husband and wife, in the family, and in the church. Christ is love, peace and joy, therefore, in Christ, there will be love, peace and joy in the family and in the church.

Colossians 1:18 - And He is the Head of the Body, the church; He is the beginning, the Firstborn from the dead, that He Himself might have the first place in all things;  

Live Christ: Since we are out from Christ, belongs to Christ, and Christ being the Head, we must live out Christ in our marriage life, family life and church-life.Philippians 1:21 - For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.  

Family of God: The two brothers who stood with me in ministering the word in this marriage are the church brothers from Aizawl and Lamka. I have no blood relationship with them, but they are my dear brothers in the Lord. Therefore, I reckon them as my own family member in the Lord, and they spoke after me from the bride's family side. Matthew 12:50 - For whoever does the will of My Father who is in the heavens, he is My brother and sister and mother. 

This message was loud and clear as I prayed and prepared for the mesaage. The previous night I pray-read these verses, and the light of God shone upon me inwardly. In the middle of the night too, I woke up and prayed over these verses, and in the morning of the marriage day, I enjoyed these verses over and over again. Then when the time came, I simply overflowed the enjoyed of the word of God as my sister's marriage message. This speaking became even more subjective as I shared the same in five different meetings in different localities which I visited after the marriage meeting.

Praise the Lord for His speaking even in "marriage message!"