NEED FOR COURTSHIP BEFORE MARRIAGE

HOLINESS REVIVAL MOVEMENT WORLDWIDE

DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY: PASTOR PAUL RIKA
INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR Of Holiness Revival Movement Worldwide

TOPIC:
NEED FOR COURTSHIP BEFORE MARRIAGE

Date:
Thursday, December 3

Text:
Amos 3:1-3

"1 Hear this word that the Lord hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying,
2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.
3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?"

Key verse:
Amos 3: 3
"Can two walk together, except they be agreed?"

Normally after parental introduction, courtship can start with the guidance of the marriage committee. Courtship is a period of time given for familiarization and discussion and planning for the future home and family. It is useful to unite the vision, the purpose, understanding, desires of each partner. It is necessary to unite these together, because you are separate entities. Maybe the woman had been planning all this while to build a Nursery/ Primary school.

As a single lady that was her thought and here is the man with a different plan. The man is probably planning that when he gets married he will leave the city to another place to start something new. Since both of them have different plans, they can now sit down and discuss their ideas together and agree on a more favorable option ahead of the marriage. 

So courtship is a time for discussions. How many children do you want to have in your marriage? Courtship period is a good time to take some of these decisions. The period of courtship should be reasonably appropriate as agreed between the parties and the leadership of the church. We will not define a fixed period because there must be flexibility.

The parties and the marriage committee will define the period of the courtship as they deem fit, because some marry in old age and they do not need a long courtship, since it might not be appropriate. So the period should be defined. Normally it is not good to prolong it because it stirs emotions a lot, and if not well handled it can lead to temptation and defilement. In practice we encourage courtship period of six to nine months.

Careful inquiry on the marital history of each one in the courtship is essential to ensure that he or she is not lawfully married before this time. Check well to ensure that the person you intend to marry has not married before; else, you get married to an adulterer and you end up committing sin thereby blocking your chance of going to heaven. My people perish for lack of knowledge. Add to your faith, knowledge. Let not marriage destroy your soul.

Thought for the day:
Use the time of courtship to resolve differences before marriage

Song for the day:
We are heirs of the Father

Bible reading for the day:
​Daniel 1-2; 1 John 2