| “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.” -Psalm 27:4 There are some events which simply must be tiptoed around in awe, whispered about, lest speaking of them should shatter their preciousness when one is unsure of words that will effectively express reality. Two Saturdays ago I saw one such event: the wedding reception of my friend, Anna. It was what Anne of Green Gables would have called an “epoch” in one’s life; something so special and awesome that you know conclusively that you will never quite be the same again. It is a subject that has been lurking in the back of my mind to post about, but I have been hesitant to do so at the risk of being redundant. I am afraid I shall sound rather “wedding crazy”, for lack of a better term, but when one is invited to twelve weddings in one year…well, what do you expect?! Those of you who know me know that I am not sappy and silly. At all. In fact, according to a response my mom gave (she is pretty much correct here, by the way) to some friends who asked, “Kari never even realized she was old enough to think about marriage and such until this year when three girlfriends her age got married!” So, never fear, I really have not changed. (perhaps that in itself is scary) Weddings just happen to be on my mind right now, though I cannot imagine why, so I thought I would bring you all along for the ride. ;-D (look out, the next upcoming wedding to attend is on the 30th!) Of the twelve weddings, we were able to attend five (or at least some members of our family attended – personally, I will have been to four. Oh yeah, we really don’t know that many people either; this has just been an odd year). Of the weddings I attended, and those I have seen pictures from, only one stands out in my mind as being something different, something extra special. All of the weddings I have been privileged to witness have been that of two Christians joining their lives, and all were quite nice, but only one was really…special, really holy, really Godly. Though some of this may very well be just my opinion, may I submit that Christians should be obviously different, even peculiar, in this area of their lives as well every other? (1Peter 2:9, 2Peter 1:3) Maybe I am an idealist. Maybe I am old-fashioned. But I now know that what I imagine really exists, because I saw it. Anna’s reception (the actual wedding was in WA) was simple, but it was lovely. I think what drew me to wonder at it more than anything else was the lack of show, the sense of real dedication and love; it was not just simply a childish, one-night, play dress-up, act. As I told my brother later, “If any marriage will last, and happily, it will be that one.” What was it that made me come away with that feeling? If you walked by Anna and Casey on the street, you would likely not know it, they would not strike you as odd, they are simply ordinary people serving an extraordinary God. Neither the bride nor the groom was out to show off, just to share – as a couple who were sure of each other and their God. I know I will undoubtedly smash a few toes here, but why do girls find it necessary to be disgustingly immodest on their wedding day? So proud that they have ‘landed their catch’? When I walked into Anna’s reception the first thing I noticed was the bride herself, of course, but I was not embarrassed; instead I was awed. She was beautiful, stunning, and I am not making a general, overrated understatement. The terms ‘beauty’ and ‘modesty’ are not oxymorons, and I am thoroughly disgusted by Christian girls/women acting as if they were. I am not suggesting that women wear burkkas here, far from it. However, a guy would not be expected to parade ‘up the aisle’ (or anywhere else for that matter) half-naked, so why do we women lower our standards (and by default guys’ standards as well) thus? (Gal. 5:13, 1Thess. 2:12) It is not worth the price women are paying. I knew something better existed; Anna exemplified and reminded me of it. Yearn; seek after something greater, that which is Godly, and something far more lasting than anything this world could ever dream of. Do not settle for less than God’s best, strive for His glory. Will my faith, will your faith, hold up against the giant of what society calls ‘normal’? Are we willing to stand and wage this culture war for our God? I am not trying to be silly or cynical about this subject…and as to why I have written this, perhaps it is as a pastor I know said the other day, “I know what to preach to you because it is what I myself need to hear, what God has told me – I need to pray more, seek God more, study harder, draw closer to Him…etc.” (1Tim. 6:12) …here you stand / Your day has come…
Okay, I shall step down off my soapbox now after one more thing. Am I crazy, disillusioned? Am I making a big fuss over ‘nothing’? Tell me, please. As a professor of mine is wont to say to his classes, in an exaggerated whisper with his hand raised to the side of his mouth, “This is the part where you get to talk!” “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” (1Peter 5:10) A page is turned in this life; he's making her his wife And there is no secret to the source of this much life
When the grace that falls like rain is washing them again
Just a chance to somehow rise above this land
Where the God of second chance
Will pick them up and he'll let them dance
Through a world that is not kind
And all this time, they're sharing with the One
That holds them up when they come undone
Beneath the storm, beneath the sun
And once again, here you stand
And once again, here you stand
Your day has come |
