Three Blessings

If two friends once decided to build a relationship with the goal of creating a family, and everything is leading to this, then sooner or later they will find themselves at a point where all their plans will come down to a wedding. And what is a wedding? This is when two friends, answering the question: "Do they want to become husband and wife?", answer each other and the witnesses of this celebration: "Yes. Yes." After this statement they are declared husband and wife, and they become one family. And then, as is usually customary, a wedding celebration follows. This is the visible side of relationships that have been built quite long and diligently, considering all the pros and cons.

Although legally two people become husband and wife, it would still be desirable to touch upon the spiritual side, the foundation of their union. Every structure begins with laying a foundation. If it is not there, or it is not of proper quality, then there is a risk of destruction when tested from the outside. The foundation remains in the ground, and it is not visible to the eye after the completion of construction, but it exists and performs its functions for the entire period of operation of the building. And the construction itself must also be reliable and durable.

Each of us wants to have and create something strong, real, indestructible. Whether it be friendship or family, we initially do not plan such unions for a short time. I think if someone wished to be friends with someone for five years or create a family for a certain time with a vague prospect of continuation, then this would be the most foolish union.

A family is in great need of spiritual blessings, which are not visible to the eye, but very strongly affect the strength of the marriage union.

Wishing to have someone's blessing, we thereby place the one who blesses above ourselves and express our deep respect for his actions, hoping for subsequent spiritual support, remembering the participation of the blessing party in our union.

The first and most important should be God's blessing and approval for the construction and creation of a family. This union should be in accordance with God's requirements and expectations, be free expression of will, correspond to many criteria and common sense that we considered earlier. God takes into account all the factors under which the family was created, and blesses what corresponds to His expression of will and does not contradict common sense. Unfortunately, our world surprises us with its madness and foolishness in inventing all kinds of perversions under the name of family, but God's approach always remains the same, regardless of what times and what the culture of society is.

If there are any violations on our part, or we formally approach the question of creating a family as a good tradition, if we have a deceitful heart to hide our lawlessness, then it is difficult to say whether we will receive what is expected. God is not man, and His blessing cannot be bought or begged for, as something He is obliged to do. One should not joke with Him who very seriously considers each of our decisions. One should hide nothing from Him who knows all our secrets and the movement of thoughts.

It is always necessary to remember that "The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it" Prov. 10:22.

The second, no less important blessing that a young family needs is the blessing of parents, if they exist and are alive. Despite all our heredity and the upbringing I received, and all the baggage of knowledge that I took from my father's house, we are given a commandment with a promise, a commandment that we honor father and mother. And when we ask for parental blessing on our union, we thereby express special honor and deep respect to father and mother. Parents, although for some time they were for us God's representatives and tutors to Christ, still remain people who do not know and understand everything. But their blessing has a certain power and influence in the spiritual world, and we should reckon with this authority.

The very beginning of our friendship should already have parental approval. Father and mother should know with whom their children are friends, and who wants to become their relative in the future.

Receiving parental blessing, we secure their support for our further life. But parents are different. And even if we are believers and parents are not, or vice versa, or if parents, for example, are divorced, then it is worth honoring these relatives both from the wife's side and from the husband's side. These are the people thanks to whom we exist in this world, and God's commandment does not set us any restrictions.

Our parents may also be those who adopted us or had custody over us. They too should be given special honor.

How should parents bless their children? We are not given direct instructions on this account, but I think that if in their speech there will be words of good wishes and blessings in our address, then this will be what we need. And the Lord will give and multiply this many times over.

And the third blessing that is worth having is the blessing of the church. Being members of one body, we all depend on each other, we influence each other, and we are part of the Heavenly family. The spiritual family also wants to participate in building our family happiness. Our brothers and sisters have a direct influence on us and will be disposed to participate in our life, seeing our honor and respect for them.

When we registered our union with state bodies, we received legal status in the eyes of the state, but we also need spiritual status in the eyes of Heaven, which the Church can give us, which also wants to hear our solemn promise to love each other and be husband and wife.

The Church has authority from Christ to bind on earth what is in its power, and this binding is accepted in Heaven. The pastor on behalf of the church brotherhood asks about our consent to become husband and wife, blesses our union and before all witnesses declares us spouses, asking God's blessing on our union. And this human decision is noted in Heaven. After this event no one has the right to separate us.

There are other blessings that we can receive. These are the blessings of friends, relatives, neighbors, colleagues and other people who decide to participate in our joy. Representatives of city authorities can also honor us with their visit. All this is also important and complements our happiness, but is not a solid spiritual foundation without which nothing will stand.

All those who bless us receive from us the authority for subsequent participation in our life, to help us, support and bless us further.

In the end, we remain as two, having in the foundation of our relationships abundant blessings, and can continue to build already our happiness, being bound to each other into one whole.

It is also worth noting that all these blessings, although they lie at the foundation of our future family happiness, do not give us a guarantee that this happiness will be ours regardless of us and other factors. Sin, evil associations, carnal nature, temptations from outside can very quickly destroy what had strength and was built for ages. But we can resist all this, having at the foundation of our house abundant blessings that enrich and bring no sorrow with them.

1. Please read: Heb. 7:7; Num. 6:22-27; Isa. 44:3; Deut. 11:26; Prov. 3:33; 10:22; 30:11; 31:10-12; Eph. 1:3; Ps. 5:13; 113:20-23; 133:1-3; Ex. 20:12; Eph. 6:1-4; 1 Kings 2:19; 1 Pet. 2:17; Rev. 19:6-9 in light of this topic.

2. What did you understand from this topic?

3. What other verses from the Bible came to your mind?

4. What is blessing?

5. What does blessing give to a person or family?

6. Have you ever blessed someone? Has anyone blessed you? If yes, what did it bring?

7. What comes into the life of those who do not want to have blessing?

8. Does God bless what does not correspond to His will and law or contradicts common sense? Deut. 6:16.

9. How much does blessing cost? And what is needed to receive it?

10. Read Job 1:8-11. Do you understand from this passage how God blesses people faithful to Him? Job 42:12-13.

11. Why could Isaac not bless Esau after he blessed Jacob? Gen. 27:31-35.

12. What is the wedding ceremony of newlyweds in church for? Can you do without it?

13. Can all the blessings listed in the lesson be formal? If yes, what is the reason?

14. Do the blessings spoken guarantee happiness for the family? Or is it all conditional?

15. What role and power does blessing have in the spiritual world?