Elnor and Anne's Wedding

 

When God created the world, He created mankind in his image and likeness; male and female he created them (Genesis 1: 27). By creating them, God willed it for man and woman to live. By creating them in his image, God willed them to love just as he himself is love. Thus, every person is called to love and for love.

However, in talking about marital love, the feeling that two people are destined to love each other is one of the greatest mysteries of feeling in love. Many couples associate this kind of feeling with the story of Adam and Eve. Just as God created Adam and Eve for each other, they believe that God has a right partner intended for each person. They consider it a sign that they have found their special someone if like Adam, they can say to themselves, “This one at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” (Genesis 2:23). They feel they are destined to love each other as they share the same belief that they were made for each other. I believe Elnor and Anne, you are among those couples who feel this way. Why do I say this?

Elnor and Anne, it happened that Honelyn is your common friend in Facebook that you Elnor then had the chance to notice Anne’s account. You sent a friend request to her which she just ignored. This attempt on your part Elnor to make you Anne his friend indicates that Elnor is there for you, Anne.

During those times, you were both busy on your struggling relationships with your previous partners. It was only when you were both freed from your past relationships that you Anne learned that Elnor was there as he sent you a wave sign on your messenger. Eventually, you accepted him as a friend. From then on, Anne you have felt that Elnor is there for you.

When I say “Elnor is there for you Anne”, this may be translated to “Anne dyan si Elnor”. When I say this, it does not only mean that Elnor is there for you Anne, but also that you Elnor have found a place in Anne’s heart as if you were born to love each other.

Besides, you may use this as your wedding hashtag #ANNEdyansiELNOR to describe your feeling that you are destined to love each other. Such a feeling even finds its proof from your own personal experiences. Remember, Elnor you made two (2) attempts to make Anne your girlfriend as you officially became lovers on February 2, 2019 (02/02/2019). You do not believe that this is just a coincidence. For you, what happened in your lives was meant to happen. Isn’t this called destiny why things have to turn out the way they do?

Elnor and Anne, it is a matter of faith to believe that you re both destined to love each other. It is a matter of faith to believe that from the hashtag #ANNEdyansiELNOR, you step up to claim the hashtag #pinakasalANNELNOR.

But now that you are married, you cannot just leave your love to destiny. If love were arranged barely by destiny, then there would be no legal separation or annulment cases. Learn also from your experiences particularly with your previous or past relationships. You did not just sit down for six or eight long years and waited for your relationships to finally end. Rather, you and your previous partners decided to put an end to it. It was a choice you made for your relationships. In other words, a relationship lasts not because it is destined to last, but because couples made the decision and acted upon such decision to keep their relationship lasts. In doing so, couples work for it together under the guidance of God. We can find this line of thought in a saying, “Sa Diyos and awa, nasa tao ang gawa.” This is what also Proverbs 16:9 means when it says, “The human heart plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps.”

Let me reiterate this thought, Elnor and Anne: Even if you are destined to love each other, challenges in your life may affect the quality of your relationship badly. There is then a certain level of risk that comes when you let destiny decide for the outcome of your relationship. You will learn to blame your destiny rather than to take responsibility over your relationship. There will also be no accountability on your part because whatever you do in your relationship, you will just say you cannot change your destiny anyway. Try to reread the story of Adam and Eve; they were so called “destined for each other” but they exposed their relationship to danger when Adam started to blame Eve for their mistake. By blaming Eve, Adam indirectly blamed God for giving him her. When God confronted Eve, she blamed the serpent. Both Adam and Eve did not want to take responsibility for their actions and seemed to use destiny as an excuse for evading their responsibility. And if you Elnor and Anne would not be responsible for each other, like Adam and Eve, you would find yourselves later putting all the blame on your destiny and would end up saying, “Perhaps, we are not really meant for each other.”

Elnor and Anne, there is nothing wrong with your feeling that you are destined for each other; but you should also feel responsible for each other. Staying in marriage requires great responsibility to grow in love and to make a commitment to keep the said love alive. If you are not willing to do this, then clearly you do not love each other. And if you do not love each other, there is no use of talking about your destiny together. Yet, if you fight for your belief that you are destined for each other, then let it be your responsibility to love each other until death. Simply put, taking responsibility means making it your destiny to love as husband and wife until your last breath. You can do this if you let God lead you in creating your destiny as husband and wife. Bear in mind, Proverbs 16:9 says, “The human heart plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps,” and the saying, “Sa Diyos and awa, nasa tao ang gawa.”

I know Elnor and Anne, it is not difficult for you to seek God’s will. I remember how you chose your wedding date. You had two choices then. Surprisingly, the significant date, February 2, was not included in those two choices as you reasoned out, it was a Sunday, a day for the Lord. It is good to know that God is the number one in your lives and you place yourselves next to Him being the number two. Thus, you set your wedding day on this date, February 28. I tell you, if you both continue to love God this way, to truly put God first, He will lead you to your desired destiny which is to love each other until death. Proverbs 3:6 has this to say, “In all  your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path.” Elnor and Anne, may God bless you and keep your marriage strong and thriving as long as you live. Amen.