Orvwinwd

Wedding of Gilbert Orvik/Victoria Winjum

HLC-N  6/7/96         Texts: Gen 2.18-24   Matt 19:4-6  John 2.1-10

When you two started dating a couple years ago or so, did you ever think it would come to this?

Did you, G, ever imagine that you would be starting a family with this woman? Did you, V, ever guess that you would start a new life together with this man?

Did you ever picture yourselves walking up this aisle, marching out as husband and wife?

Did you ever dream that you would be standing before me/cong/ God this day, promising to be husband/wife to each other?

It’s a funny thing, isn’t it, how 2 people come together and end up wanting to become one.

We have these images in our minds as we are growing up as kids of what our lives will be like some day / of who that person will be that we will marry.

Things just seem to happen, and it’s one thing after another, until suddenly one day, part of your life seems to fall into place and you realize: I want to spend the rest of my life with THIS person.

It’s so romantic, isn’t it?  dancing, lazy days at the lake, and especially those special times: a fancy dinner at the Olive Garden, a limo ride, and the proposal of marriage made on bended knee

and the romance is wonderful... until a few years down the line when the dancing / dinners are mostly memories, you wonder if he is ever going to learn to get up in the night to take care of Steven // you wonder if you’re ever going to have the chance to go fishing again; together your lives seem to involve a lot more working than wooing; you start picturing how your life would make good subject matter for some sad country, western tune and you think: romance is gone...

Now, I’m all for romance, and we all hope and pray that you both will be romantically involved with each other for the rest of your lives, but I suspect that more than romance, everyone here would say that the more important thing is that: You love each other

it seems obvious, sounds simple: Love each other

Yet true LOVE is anything but simple as you try to live it out in your daily lives where there is rent to pay and diapers to change

you quickly discover that it is impt to disting between the LOVE that never ends and simple,worldly  little thing called LUV - uc

- you fall in LUV at first glance, but you must grow in LOVE

- LUV is an impulse, but LOVE involves decisions / commitment,

- LUV is glamorous and sexy, LOVE is patient and kind

- LUV can be selfish and suspicious and jealous, but LOVE is not envious or boastful or arrogant

- LUV comes quickly, easily, and just as quickly/easily disap’ears

         - LOVE takes time and energy, but also ... LOVE never ends

And now when someone says: LOVE each other - you realize what an awesome promise it is that you are making to each other today

Will you indeed not just luv each other BUT also LOVE each other?

It’s almost too much for any human being to promise, but here is where you begin to realize that you are not alone in your marriage

Consider the Matt pass where J said: let no one and no thing put you asunder (separate)

that too is easier said than done, of course,

but it is impt to see that with everything that God does, there is a promise which accompanies the command

Listen again: What GOD has joined together...

Do you hear the promise? it is God who has brought you to this day

it is what God has joined together that shall not be separated

it is is the LOVE of God which will keep you together because God's love is far stronger and more powerful and more wonderful than even the most passionate and romantic of human loves

Like Jesus at the wedding banquet who saves the day when troubles arise, Jesus will likewise be in the midst of your marriage to save the day when troubles seem to be overwhelming you

Even when she still seems to be too stubborn, even when he still isn’t getting up to help in the middle of the night, still, God will be there to help you reconcile, to remind you of your promises and strengthen you in your love

You will always be able to count on the love of GOD to be with you in the midst of sickness and health and better and worse and all that the years may bring

And so rejoice as you, in a moment, make your lifelong promises of LOVE to each other

Rejoice, because God  has been imagining and dreaming of this day for the two of you since you were born / picturing you walking

Rejoice, because the LOVE of God will uphold your love for each other as long as you both shall live.  AMEN.