Twenty-five years ago this month I got married. Twenty-six years ago this month I didn’t even know my wife existed. Funny how life comes along like that.
At times it’s been like the steamiest scenes of the Song of Songs*:
He
How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes are doves.
She
How handsome you are, my beloved! Oh, how charming! And our bed is verdant.
Snort! She said their bed was “verdant”! (Look it up.)
At times our marriage has been like Luke 12:
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
Sometimes it’s more like James 4 –
“… you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.”
On that day twenty-five years ago, it kind of seemed like all three of those at once. One thing we knew, though, was that God is with us at all times. Good thing, too; without him those different stages of life can be scary, even the really great times. Because without God everything is meaningless (Ecclesiastes is an entire book on the subject, for crying out loud), but with him all things are good (as we know so well from the repeated and repeated and repeated times we’ve heard Romans 8:28).
Our marriage is a blessing, but I’m not the one responsible for that. In fact, there are times when I think I’m more of a curse. I feel horrible about it sooner or later, of course, but that doesn’t change the fact that I was less than I should have been for her. So what do I do? I rest in the fact that there is only One who is truly good for her. God is good all the time, and I’m not. The source and foundation of any solid relationship, one that has eternal significance, is him and not me.
God has blessed us these twenty-five years, and his word assures me he will do so for eternity.
Hi-yo Silver!
***
* Here’s an illustrated take on the Song of Songs for our literalist friends. Take a look. It’s funny.
Happy anniversary to you both! That is a wonderful milestone that so many people will not be reaching at all in this day in age (sad). I need to look up verdant. I use an ESV Bible. . . seems like it means inexperienced for one of the meanings, which is cool because it means they can learn how to work that bed without shame!!!
“work that bed without shame!!!” Great way to explain that Scripture, Victoria!
Awww… Happy Anniversary! 25 is a special one! I would love to see a pic of you two love birds! For my parents’ 25th, I wore my mom’s wedding dress to a family cook-out. (That’s been quite a few years ago now!) Have fun!
As for verdant — the first word that comes to my mind is “lush”. Now I’m off to look it up.
Wearing the wedding dress to the cookout sounds like a perfect way to celebrate your folks’ anniversary, Adriana. How fun!
First of all, congratulations! And second, thanks for this blog. It’s interesting and funny — very therapeutic actually!
When my brother got married they had a church wedding although they are not actively spiritual/religious people. He asked me to read “that Corinthians 13 thing.” I asked if he meant SECOND Corinthians 13 (“This will be my third visit to you … I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time…”) and he clarified that that was not it. Then we had a good time imagining other chapter 13’s we could read at a wedding, e.g. Revelation: “And then I saw a beast rising out of the sea” (no wait, that’s the maid of honour, ba-dump-bump). That was a fun wedding. But I digress. As that Corinthians thing says, “Love never fails” — and even if it does, thankfully God does not.
Thanks again!
It’s funny you mention that, Jeannie. My wife and I each have 1 Cor. 13:8 engraved inside our wedding bands.
Your idea for wedding readings (pick a random chapter 13 and run with it, folks!) is a great idea. I might suggest it the next time someone asks me to do their wedding. It might end up being the last time someone asks me to do their wedding, too!
Tim
Congratulations Tim!
Mazel tov! May God give you many more years of joy together!
Thanks, and nice job at her.meneutics today!
Congrats Tim! We celebrated our 20th in August.
Congrats right back atcha, Laura! By the way. I’m a couple chapters into that Philip Yancey book you sent me, Rumors of Another World. Really enjoying it a lot, thanks!
Tim, you are just writing up a storm over here! Great reflection. And, as I looked up verdant (like a model student) I found it even more applicable that “California” could be interchanged with it. Congratulations on 25 years.
You are a model student, Aimee. I think I’ve learned a lot more from you than you have from me, though.
Happy Anniversary and Congratulations to you both!
Congratulations!
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