It's already going by so fast. I feel like just yesterday I was praying with my bridesmaids and shedding some last tears before walking down the aisle to meet Ethan and join our lives together. I miss that day already, so badly. It was a beautiful day, full of love; love between Ethan and I, but more importantly, love between the 50 people who came to the ceremony, the 230 people who came to the reception, and the overarching love of our Savior, Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit was with us every second of that day. He was watching over us as we got ready. He was standing with us at the alter. He was with us as we drove off in the rain to start our journey together.
Marriage, in just these short 16 days, has already been some of the most fun times. Ethan and I have enjoyed learning more about each other. So far, I think the biggest problems we've had were how much peanut butter I put on his sandwich in the morning, which sides of the couch we like the best, and which restaurants in Jamaica we wanted to eat at the most.
Luckily for us, there is more to marriage than peanut butter sandwiches, sharing a name, and the ever so awkward to talk about topic...sex!
Even though these 16 days have been so much fun growing closer together, the even better part has been growing closer to God. We pray together, we read together, we yearn for the Gospel to be present in our marriage. We're being challenged every day to live to serve each other, just as Christ served the church.
Tim Keller, in his book, "The Meaning of Marriage," speaks a great deal on the idea of service. He says this,
"....each partner is called to sacrifice for the other in far-reaching ways. Whether we are husband or wife, we are not to live for ourselves but for the other. And that is the hardest yet single most important function of being a husband or wife in marriage."
What the Bible tells us through Paul's words in Ephesians, is that as Christians, when we truly understand the Gospel, we are radically changed. We don't see service as an obligation, but as a privilege. It doesn't bother me to get up every morning at 6:00 and make Ethan's lunch; I want to do that for him. I want to fold his laundry and have dinner ready for him....which is hilarious to anyone who's known me prior, because I didn't want to lift a finger for myself or others. Marriage is changing me. The Gospel is continually changing me. I live to serve this other human being, and exalt him as my partner and my brother in Christ. And the best part is...he feels the same way about me! Do I deserve any of it? No, absolutely not. I am not worthy of him warming my towel up for me while I'm in the shower, or him sacrificing things he wants to do just so that I can be happy.
But that is the Gospel: I am more flawed than I can even imagine, yet Jesus still gave his for me and loves me more than I can fathom.
I am a sinner, and I married a sinner. And together, we are going to spend our lives as missionaries preaching the Word of God to anyone who will listen, and loving and serving each other in the process. Marriage is wonderful.
Daw! How sweet.
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