Our family has heard so many wedding bells in the last few months that if they were assembled together, we’d have a bell choir. And it would be playing a beautiful song.
From August 2017 to August 2018, there were six weddings in our family, which included one of my sister’s children, two of my brother’s, and three of mine. These happy ceremonies took place in Hawaii, Iowa, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, and Michigan.
[Right: Nelson and Ann Sophie in Hawaii]
I believe God loves weddings. After all, marriage was his invention when he presided over the very first one with a bride named Eve and a groom named Adam. It was a destination wedding like no other and took place in the Garden of Eden.
As our family weddings took place, we knew the Lord was smiling on each couple as they married. He was also listening carefully to the spoken commitments each bride and groom made to the other on their special day.
[Left: Birgitta, Spencer, and Emerald in Iowa]
Although these six weddings occurred in beautiful destinations from coast-to-coast , the “where” was never as important as the “what.”
These days, when two young people decide to get married rather than just live together, they’re stepping up to one of life’s biggest and most significant commitments. These six couples have promised to love and stand by each other, no matter what happens — which actually follows the example God has set for them. In the Bible he shows us all how to love well.
[Right: Charlie and Larissa in Colorado]
The Lord’s love is never based on our performance or our loyalty to him, so he never wobbles in loving us — because that’s who he is. God is love. Throughout Scripture he demonstrates this in a variety of ways.
[Left: Karl and Cecilia in Illinois]
As for earthly marriage, God laid out instructions on how to get the most out of a husband-wife relationship. Because he loves marriages, he wants to help them last. That’s why he makes his divine assistance available for the bumps in the road that come to all couples.
[Right: Ben and Amy in Maryland]
My prayer for these six new partnerships is that they’ll readily reach for the Lord as needed. And if they follow the directions he gives, all six will make it to their 50th anniversaries – when we’ll once again get to hear those bells of celebration ring!
“Love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” (1 John 4:7)
[Left: Louisa and Justin in Michigan]