Wedding Day

It was the day of days. The wonderful experience I had looked forward to for as long as I could remember. My wedding day.

I have to admit, I didn't spend a lot on my wedding. I didn't have much money as a preschool teacher, and my practical engineer fiance found things such as houses and cars for us to live in and drive to be of more importance than fancy weddings. I am glad he did.

My wedding was simple. It was December 30, and there was a blizzard happening outside, but within the church where I had met my beloved nearly four years previously, everything was warm. Our pastor that had helped us through the rough times during our courtship had tears streaming down his face as he helped us through our vows. My Dad stood before us and charged us with our responsibilities to each other. "Follow him." he urged me. "He will become the husband God wants him to be as you support him and cheer him on. Let him lead you. It will bring out the best in him." To Pete he said "Love her. God is giving her to you for you to cherish, to nurture into the woman that she is supposed to be. You have the greater responsibility. You can only do it with love. You can only do that by sacrificing yourself."

Over the 6+ years that we have been married, we have found my father's words (which were really God's) to be absolutely true. When we have done what he advised, we have been blessed. When we have tried to do it our way, or the "natural" way, or whatever way is popular on the talk shows, we have only met brick walls. We are two very stubborn people with lots of opinions we aren't willing to part with. We need God's help to successfully live as a happily married couple.

So why do I walk this particular avenue of memory lane this evening? Just thinking about Jesus. What does Jesus have to do with marriage?

This morning we had communion at church. As I stared at that little cup full of blood red grape juice, I could sense him there. Holding it out to me. Tears in his eyes, smile of love on his face.
"I love you." he says. "Take this cup. Drink it. Marry me."

For that is what he was saying to his disciples. What he was saying to every believer to ever live. "I want to marry you. I've paid the bride price. All you have to do is drink from this cup."
This morning, I drank from the cup. And this day, as every day, I choose to follow him. Because he loves me. Because he sacrificed himself for me.

Because any dawn of any new day could be the day. Wedding day.