This week as I continued to talk about the rhetorical type “caparison and contrast” in my writing class, my students and I read two articles, “Playing House” and “Mr. and Mrs. K”. The former essay differentiates “cohabiting couples” and “married couples”; the latter distinguishes between “courtship” and “commitment”. Both essays maintain a successful marriage derives from commitment, not through cohabitation or an initial romance.

Human marriage is definitely a reflection of God’s love toward his people. In the Old Testament the people of Israel were God’s chosen people. God chose them out of the nations not because of  a large of group of people, but they were small and tiny. God showed mercy and love to them not because they were holier than other people, but because the covenant he made with Abraham. The Israelites rebelled against God again and again, but God would still forgive them on account of  the everlasting covenant.

God has chosen to love us no matter how sinful or terrible we are. Of course, he feels sorry for our sins and turning away from him. Yet, he is forgiving and waiting for us to come back to him. Marriage is built on the commitment between husband and wife. The love of marriage is like God’s covenant love. Love is always a decision, not a feeling.