FIRST GLIMPSE

'Til ________________ Do Us Part.

The announcement came as a shock. After 40 years of marriage, former Vice President Al Gore and his wife Tipper were calling it quits. The news created a stir across the nation. Pundits buzzed with excitement, and talking heads speculated about the reasons behind the highly publicized split. In a terse email to friends, the former high school sweethearts stated simply, “We grew apart.”

This, from the couple who kissed passionately onstage before thousands of screaming supporters at the 2000 Democratic National Convention prior to accepting the party’s presidential nomination. What happened to the passion? What happened to the teamwork, the camaraderie? Could such an apparently strong union dissolve in 10 short years?

Everyone had an opinion. “Maybe it was just time,” I heard one so-called marriage expert proclaim in a radio interview. “In fact, maybe it’s time to rethink the wedding vows entirely.

Rather than saying, ‘Til death do us part,’ perhaps we should say, ‘as long as love lasts.’ We just need to face reality. Love fades and people change. Why stay in a relationship that doesn’t make you happy?”

Absolute twaddle!

In Genesis chapter two, God established the guidelines for marriage (See “A Theology of Marriage,” page 10). He is the One who proclaimed, “Til death do you part,” and His views on marriage have not changed. He also instructs husbands and wives to honor and respect one another (Ephesians 5:21-25; Colossians 3:17-19), to work together for the glory of God (1 Timothy 3:11-13), to guard the sanctity of marriage carefully (1 Corinthians 7:2-6), and to grow together in their relationship with God (1 Peter 3:7). Sounds like a lifelong quest to me!

And ONE Magazine is here to equip you for the journey. From practical tips for keeping your cool when hot under the collar in “How to Fight Fair” (page 13) to practical tips for parenting in “Parenting Playbook” (page 17), this issue of ONE Magazine provides today’s couple with the defenses needed to survive in a world where the family is under attack.

I can’t help but contrast Al and Tipper with my own parents. As I write this, they are celebrating their 46th anniversary over salads and sodas at their favorite restaurant. Has their marriage been perfect? Of course not! Have they been through difficult times? Absolutely. But with God as the center of their marriage, they have remained committed to Him and to one another.

So, here’s to you, Mom and Dad! Thanks for the great example.

About the Writer: Eric Thomsen is managing editor of ONE Magazine. Send comments and observations about ONE to editor@nafwb.org.