Ways to ask God for a wife.
The persistent widow approach:
We observe the example in Lk 18: [2] Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
[3] And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
[4] And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
[5] Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
Here we petition God repeatedly until we see the fruit of our requests. This is probably not the best way to entreat the Lord, but one way none the less. You might wonder if that is a good idea at all: Consider it is Christ himself giving the example.
The approach by which we ask the Lord to make of us a man such as he would bless with a prudent wife (Pr 19:14):
After that, we need to remember to ask for the wife, because we don't expect to receive without asking, but having been formed in that crucible, the Lord might be persuaded of his own good work. Even if we have not been co-operative, he would probably still try to give us someone with whom we might be equally yoked.
The help meet approach.
Ask and ye shall receive is the common quote. But there is the note in Jas 4:1-3 that if we ask amiss that we may consume it on our own lust, we receive not. What prayer could be more easily rejected for that reason than the prayer for a wife? I think the solution to that lies in Genesis where we note that God made Eve as an help meet. In this case, the word “meet,” means “sufficient,” or “appropriate.” The very concept of a help denotes a task. Therefore, one could ask (or arbitrarily choose) a task, and build on that by asking for a help meet to that task, rather than asking to consume it on one's own lust. Aside: The verse 1st Tim 3:1 is one task that requires a wife that God himself has said is good.
Pray the Lord that you would rather marry than burn.
Consider the example of Jacob in Isa 42:24,25. He was set on fire yet knew it not, and was burned yet he laid it not to heart. The point in the passage is that Jacob didn't learn his lesson or he would have laid it to heart. We need to heed the lesson when and if that fire gets lit, and the better thing to do is to marry. Although there is another discussion of figurative burning in 1 Co 13:3, we cannot overlook that it is better to marry than to burn. In fact even if we gave our body to be burned for some reason, it would be pointless without love. In my experience it isn't an easy case to make that one is burning. However, if one could by use of the Isa passage (or any other scriptural discussion) convey the need to a Christian girl, she might be quite happy to oblige.
Finally, Marriage is “Until Death Do Us Part.”
In Mt 22:23-30 we see another discussion of marriage in the bible. Notably in verses [29] Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
[30] For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
We see that marriage ends on earth. It is not for heaven. This can lead to some ribald derision, but among those who know, it should not be misunderstood.
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