The right to marriage

I was asked a brilliant question on Saturday night. Is there a general right to a marriage partner? Associated to this is the question - if someone is unmarried, are they out of God's will for their lives?

Jesus makes clear that some are born eunuchs, some are made that way, and some renounce marriage for the sake of the Kingdom. What is clear from this is that not all who are unmarried are out of His will.

But can the average Christian harbour an expectation of God for provision of a marriage partner?

First, I would say the average, unmarried Christian does well to regard God as their Spouse. God is our covenant partner in the first place. Second, I would say that we all have a general desire to be happily married. He has put that in us. However, when it comes to desires, we are required to trust in the Lord with all of our heart and lean not on our own understanding, and to acknowledge Him in all of our ways that He might make pur paths straight.

If ever there was a topic that demanded our trust in God, it is right here. Desires originate in God. It is only fitting that we should submit them back to Him and let Him conclude them for us.

No one has a right to get married. But God has the right to expect us to trust Him entirely with our strongest and most impulsive desires.