The Wedding & The Marriage

This past weekend I was in my college roommate's wedding. He's the last of our "group" to get hitched and it was truly an amazing event. As the big day arrived, we all gathered to celebrate these two wonderful people as they promised their lives to one another and to God. Everyone's excitement had peaked as we waited for the ceremony to begin. THIRTY minutes later...it was over. The ceremony had come to an end and everyone shuffled out of the church. I began to think..."What now?" "What will they do next?"

Participating in this wedding, made me look back at my own wedding. The memories and thoughts take me back to a wonderful day of joy, happiness, laughter, love, celebration, etc. It was the day we had dreamed of. We had planned, decorated, invited, and then planned some more. We planned every aspect of the ceremony; and though the planning took eight months, our wedding also took less than an hour. What now? Is that all there is? The vows only took four minutes to say...and yet they impact the rest of our lives...daily. Just because you have a ceremony doesn't mean you are truly married--legally...yes--truly...no.

I think you would agree there is a multitude of couples out there that are far from having a true marriage. Each day is filled with selfish ambition with little thought of the daily sacrifice needed for a marriage. For many, the ceremony was just an opportunity for a "get-together." In and of itself, it is just merely a symbol; but the marriage is found in the vows spoken, if you had blinked, you may have missed them during the ceremony. The marriage is the choice to fulfill those simple vows. If you find a couple who has been married for fifty years, chances are pretty good they would tell you it really is a daily choice.

Our Christian walk is much the same. Many believe that once we are baptized, the rest of life is a free-for-all. However Luke 9:23 says, "The he said to them all: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.' " Once again, it's a choice. Every morning as we stir from our slumber (or maybe for some after your first cup of coffee...), we have a choice. Do we follow him or do we remain seated on the throne of our own lives. Luckily for us, His forgiveness never runs out and every morning we have that choice to make with a clean slate. "Through the LORD s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning." (Lamentations 3:22-23a).

We may all have "the wedding", but we are called daily into "the marriage." So after the ceremony is over, you may ask, "What now?" The answer is simple....EVERYTHING.

By the way....CONGRATULATIONS, Tom & Jackie. We had a BLAST!!!