This prayer is similar to various prayers I have prayed to God about my marriage and relationship to my husband. The following post is coming out of my own personal life experience as well as a conversation with a friend who is going through a very similar situation.
I am a Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Christian. My husband whom I love dearly is a Non-Denomination Christian. The common factor between us:: God. When my husband and I got engaged almost three years ago, my parents were livid. I would dare say beyond livid. The only way I could explain what was happening was that my parents were some how overtaken by "aliens" and they were acting out their norm as a result. My parents had several reasons as to why I wasn't "ready" to get married. But their main reason was the fact that my husband and I are not of the same religion.
They quoted to me 2 Corinthians 6:14. I am going to write it out in four different versions. however, the first version I list is the one my parent's were quoting.
"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? KJV
"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" NIV
"You're different from unbelievers. Don't join yourself to them. How can what is right have fellowship with what is wrong? What does life have in common with darkness?" Clear Word
"Don't become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong? That's not partnership; that's war. Is light best friends with dark? The Message
My parents said that because we were of two religious backgrounds, there was no reason or merit that God would ordain or bless this relationship. They mentioned that God is a God of order and so if I believe one way then my spouse should be of the same belief system. They were also sure to point out that it would be difficult for me to keep my views as an SDA christian if I were to get married to him. My parent's weren't the only one who had this stance. Several of my family friends, two pastors that I had a conversation with, and a pastor preached about it at a church my husband and I were attending one weekend. The latter actually started his sermon with the words "Most inter-religion relationships/marriages fail".
It got so bad, that my husband has told me on two different occasions that as a result of what transpired that if that is how SDA and/or other church going Christians felt/b, that he would want nothing to do with them or their church. Isn't that so sad? We as Christians have to be careful how we present ourselves and how we share the gospel of Jesus. We can really cause someone to miss out on the joys of having a relationship with Jesus because our attitude is rotten or because we act like we are "holier than thou".
Anyway to make a long story short and to spare you all the details of a feud that went on for several months (finally ended shortly before the wedding). I told my parents that I do not agree that in my case, I was sinning or dooming myself to hell because I wasn't marrying an SDA christian. It is my belief system that at the end of the day, when I am face to face with Jesus--He is not going to ask me if my spouse was of the same religion as me.
While my husband and I are not of the same religious background..We both have a love for God. We both seek His guidance daily in every aspect of our lives. Isn't that what's important? I think it is more important to have a relationship with God than to have religion. I know several men in the SDA church that I wouldn't marry because though they go to church every week, they don't have a relationship with God.
My parents were right that it at times it is challenging to have different religious systems in a marriage. However, that doesn't mean that the marriage will fail. For us, going to church and keeping the Sabbath has been our challenge. My husband, isn't big into religion as it is. He rather work on his relationship with God than to be involved with the church. He has his reasons for that and I respect that. I on the other hand, love going to church, and I go to church on the Sabbath. Usually, I go by myself, but there are a few random Sabbaths that he will go with me. That to me makes it hard, I would love for us to go to church together on a regular basis. But that just isn't our reality at the moment. Does that mean our marriage will fail? No, it just means that we have to work harder to find time to spend together and to grow as Christians together.
I am not Jesus, so I can not convert him. I told him when we were dating that by no means do I want him to convert to being a SDA christian because of me. He should only do so if led to do so by God. We have a long way to go in our walk with Jesus. But the simple fact that we can pray together, read the bible together, and listen to sermons together warms my heart. I know that we both are growing in our relationship with Jesus. And He alone, knows where He is leading us.
So to those who are "judgmental" to those of people/couples who are not of the same religion. Be thankful that they have a belief system, if they believe in God--be thankful. Pray that as they grow in their walk with God, that they will yearn to have a deeper relationship with Him. Because at the end of the day that is all that truly matters.
To those who are in a inter-religion relationship/marriage, I encourage you to continue to pray and seek God. Only He can show you what path He has you traveling on and where it will lead. Don't be afraid to follow His lead, He never fails or leads you astray.
