Important safety tip! Don’t ever do a favor for a friend of a friend.

I was doing that when I met with a young couple in my office one afternoon while I was a pastor. As we sat around a coffee table in some easy chairs they told me they were planning to get married but struggling with some issues.

Second important safety tip! If you’re engaged and struggling in your relationship, stop now. Don’t proceed. It won’t get better after marriage.

Photo Credit: Saint-Petersburg orthodox

Apparently, he’d been cheating on her. They’d resolve the issue but then it would happen again.

Also, he had a wee smidgen of a problem with alcohol.

It was all I could do to keep from yelling to the young woman, “Run!”

Suddenly the young man interjected, “Well, there’s another issue also. I believe we’re commanded to attend church on the Sabbath which is Saturday. She goes on Sunday which is breaking the commandment.”

I replied, “Frankly, I don’t think God cares much when you go.”

He said, “But the commandment says it must be the Sabbath which is Saturday.”

I replied, “But we don’t live under the law anymore so I think God really isn’t all that concerned.”

At that point the conversation veered completely off the core problems and I knew we weren’t going back. So we ended the meeting a few minutes later and I never heard from them again.

I’ve wondered occasionally, did they get married? If so, for how long?

Sometimes I find getting caught up in the legalities of church can actually keep us from spiritual vitality.

Now I’m not advocating not attending. I’m just saying I think sometimes it’s more of a detriment to our spiritual lives than a help.

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