There's a Diamond Wedding Anniversary coming up in our family.
anyway, this set me thinking... about the wedding vows,
for richer, for poorer - yes, we've done both of those
for better, for worse - was that one of the vows? we've done that too
to have and to hold - well, we're still together, we still have each other, we still hold hands
in sickness and in health - yes - we know that one
to love and to cherish - ah, to cherish. What a wonderful word that is. Caring for someone is important, but cherishing someone has a warm, huggy, protecting, watching over, looking after, putting their needs first, anticipating what would give them pleasure, attentive, making someone feel special, - all those lovingkindness words and feelings.
If you are cherished by someone, you are fortunate indeed. And if you are doing the cherishing, then someone else is very, very, lucky.
Churchy Bit coming up - skip if you like.
for me, these vows are, in some way, like the promises that God made to me. No, he's actually already made to everyone in the world - that he will be with you in this perfect way, forever, and ever. If you have received these promises, and, as far as you are able, are trying to reciprocate them, then you, too, can be in this blessed position of security, and comfort. It's only the final phrase of the marriage service that is different; "Until death us do part" becomes "until your death brings us properly together".
A lot of the of the Bible seems quite distant from me, weird,even. Well, it was written a long time ago in a far, far away land. But I think that one of the core messages, repeated over and over again, could be summed up in the marriage vows. Something to hang on to.
(And now I've got "Will your anchor hold in the storms of life?" going round in my head. Sigh!)
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