No, marriage is not a game of chance—if you put it in God’s hands and seek His will for your marriage.

After all, God gave marriage to us and He meant for it to bring us happiness and security and peace. Adam lived in a perfect world in the Garden of Eden, but God saw beneath the surface of Adam’s life and He concluded, “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). As a result, God created Eve—and the first marriage took place. Only when sin intervened did tension mar their relationship.

Listen: Life is too serious to leave out God! Commit your life (including your future) into Christ’s hands. Then commit this area of your life to Him, and ask Him to lead you to the man of His choice, if it’s His will for you to marry—one who shares your commitment to Christ and wants God’s will for his marriage. Only then will you have a solid foundation for your marriage.

Then remember that getting married is only the beginning! Pray for each other … adjust to each other … serve each other … honor each other. Most of all, keep Christ at the center of your marriage. I’ve often said that a good marriage actually involves three people: the husband, the wife—and God. About the time you read this, Ruth and I will be celebrating our 63rd wedding anniversary—and more than ever we know it’s true.