Promises

As i was getting dressed this morning, a little white booklet up in the bookshelf in my closet caught my eye. i had no idea what it was, & reached up to check it out... Mixed in with a dental receipt, the directions for our thermometer & selections from books that i had photocopied because i love them, was "Our Marriage Book".
Our pastor gave it to us ~ a keepsake from our wedding day. In it, is the sermon he shared, the music, scribbled notes to remember ~ .
i wonder if i knew then what i know now, if i'd be a little freaked out by all the promises that were made that day?
Our friends and relatives promised to bless & support us with love, prayers & godly friendship in the years ahead. Our parents promised to pray for us & to accept each of us as their very own son & daughter.
Neil & i promised the most intimate, important things to each other.
We promised to Love.
To comfort.
Honour.
Keep with... in sickness and health...
Forsaking all others...
Keeping only to each other...
To "live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony".

i'm still good with the promises i made that day. *grin*

Over the years, we've watched marriages around us crumble, thrive, struggle, survive, grow, begin and end... & even in our own little paradise, there were days that ended up being... h a r d w o r k.

In Our Wedding Book, there's a paragraph that reads,
"For Christians, a wedding like this is worship. It's not entertainment, it's not a mere formality required by the law. It's a sacrament, in the sense that God himself comes on the scene to do what no human being or human law can do. In making two people one permanently. From our side, it's a participation in the loving plan of a heavenly Father for His children. It's the highest celebration in human love and commitment that we know. It's the expression of an aspiration for togetherness in achieving mutual dreams and goals. It's the pledging of deepest fidelity and devotion till death parts. Marriage is a sacred and permanent relationship, and must not be entered into casually or thoughtlessly, but deliberately, prayerfully, in the fear of God. Today Neil & Paige have come before God and family and friends to affirm the choice they have made, to declare their intention to establish a Christian home, and to make their vows of love to one another."

We need to keep our promises.

The Marriage Prayer:
O God, the Author and Giver of all good things, we bless you for the gifts of love and friendship, and for the joys which gladden our life. May your blessing rest upon and abide with these who have her plighted their mutual love. Crown this day with Your perpetual favour and lead them in the way of love and peace, even into eternal life, through Jesus Christ Our Lord.
Amen