Marrying Young

Are couples getting married later these days or is it just my imagination?  My mom said that in her generation, most couples got married out of high school.  I got married when I was 22 and a lot of my friends got married shortly after that.  Now, couples seem to be in their mid to late twenties when they get married.

I have been reading a magazine written by this man with thirteen children.  He calls his family CHQC which stands for Christian, homeschooling, quiverful, courtship.  In his magazine he has a quote from Martin Luther from 1522 ~

To sum the matter up:  whoever finds himself unsuited in the celibate life should see to it right away that he has something to do and work at;  then let him strike out in God's name and get married.  A young man should marry at the age of twenty at the latest, a young woman at fifteen to eighteen; that's when they are still in good health and best suited for marriage.  Let God worry about how they and their children are to be fed.  God makes children; he will surely also feed them.

This man then bemoans the fact that his older children are having trouble finding suitable spouses and he believes it is because they are so isolated in their beliefs.  He is trying to figure out a way to get like-minded families together.

I am not so sure that is the problem, however.  I know many great kids who went to a Christian high school and to Christian colleges.  They attend large, active churches yet they are still unmarried in their mid to late twenties, even early thirties.  They are available to meet members of the opposite sex and want to get married.

The problem isn't easy to diagnose or solve.  My opinion is that it is all in God's hands.  The Bible addresses young, single women this way ~

The unmarried woman cares for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit.  I Corinthians 7:34

If she is seeking the Lord's will, asking for a godly spouse, then she just must patiently wait upon the Lord and His perfect timing.  You can't force a marriage.  Either two people are attracted to each other or they are not.

So take heart all you single people out there.  Trust God and His timing.  Do find ways to serve the Lord and meet people, but don't let your discouragement pull you down.  Continue to Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing. 

Psalm 100:2

P.S.  It looks like I, along with my daughters and daughter-in-law, are going to have to seriously think and pray about having week long seminars out here in sunny San Diego teaching women all about getting their Mrs. Degree!  Thank you for all your enthusiastic comments. Ken is all for it! :)