Reason #912

Aaron is in a wedding this weekend in Fort Worth. Due to my work situation, I wasn’t able to take off and go with him, so I sent him off with a kiss and prayers yesterday as he headed to the wedding festivities by himself. I am naturally a worrier, and unfortunately my mind likes to think in “worst case scenario” mode. I never worry about myself when traveling alone, but when someone I love is away from home, I find myself muttering prayer after prayer for their safe return.

 

I love weddings. In fact, I had a great wedding business idea this morning as I took a shower that maybe, one day when I get it all together, I’ll try to implement. But there’s just something about sending someone you love off to a wedding by themselves. I mean really, it’s kind of awkward to go to a wedding alone in the first place. And so I hated that Aaron would be without a wedding date. I highly doubt he’ll be the only one, but as he drove off yesterday morning, I found myself wishing with all my might that I could be in the car with him.

 

It’s funny how things happen in life that you tend to forget about until something similar happens that brings it back to the forefront of your mind. For many reasons, I am so thankful that God gives us memories, however, I do wish we could decide which ones we wanted to actually remember and which ones we’d like to forget. And so I joked with Aaron about being sure he doesn’t dance with anyone else in my absence. I mean, look at him. He’s as handsome and charming as they come. If you ask me, Aaron is that guy that girls meet and hope isn’t taken. I’ve been there before. We all have. You know exactly what I am talking about. There’s that guy, probably in the worship band, and you notice him. You think, “Humm…. He’s not that much older than me. I think that maybe, just maybe, he looked my direction. I can tell there is something different about him, something…special.” And when the lights finally come on and you can see clearly, you notice he has a wedding ring on and you think, “Gosh, why do all the good ones have to be taken?”

 

I realized I’m probably a little biased here, but that’s what I think about Aaron. If he wasn’t married to me, I’d be totally bummed to see a wedding ring on his finger. Thank goodness I was the lucky one who got to take him off the market. But that doesn’t always mean what people think it means. In fact, a lot of people have little respect for a wedding ring. And I realized that, strangely enough, my fear of sending  Aaron off to a wedding by himself was that there might be some of those people there. That there might be an opportunity for someone to chat with my sweet husband and wish that he was their own. I fully realize this is a possibility, of course, this situation isn’t exclusive to weddings.

 

I knew he stayed up late last night, so I waited for his text message this morning. I made a little comment about how lucky the bridesmaid was to be paired up with Aaron as her escort down the aisle. He said, “Well, doesn’t matter. I told them all about you at dinner (plus a speech where I talked about marriage), so they know I’m taken.” Not that they didn’t figure that out at the first glance of his left hand, but I was glad to hear that. It’s always good for my heart to be reassured of our permanent status. Having gone through a situation of the opposite nature, I’ll always be grateful for a husband who makes it clear to all he meets that his heart belongs to me. After all, people shouldn’t ever have to wonder if someone is married, and the ring shouldn’t be the only thing that indicates your relationship.

 

I think the same goes for those of us that belong to the Lord. Talk about a permanent relationship. If you’ve accepted Jesus Christ is your Savior, that is eternal. There is no ‘til death do us part’ clause in that vow. Forever and ever and ever and ever, you are His. But do people know that? Do they see that you belong to Him? Do you tell them, or do you just rely on the cross you wear around the neck, the tattoo you had strategically placed on your wrist, or the fish sticker on the back of your car to be the thing that indicates you’re committed to Him? If you didn’t have any of those indicating items, would they still know that you are His? Would they see the impact that He has made on your life? Would they be aware of the relationship you two have, of the significance and value of it? Would they even know about it?

 

The ring is just a symbol. Wearing it doesn’t make you married. It’s the relationship that defines marriage. It is the commitment and the intimacy. It is the daily decision to choose and honor one another. It’s the effort you put forth in serving one another, growing together, and learning to live as one.  The same goes for your cross necklace, verse tattoo, and fish sticker. Those things are symbols, they don’t make you a Christian. It’s the relationship with Jesus that does. It’s a constant dependence on Him. It’s giving up your fleshly desires and choosing His will day after day. It’s repenting when you mess up and accepting His life changing grace to wash away your unrighteousness. It’s allowing Him to be a part of every aspect of your life. Of continuously pursuing Him. Of serving Him, of allowing Him to mold you into His image, and of professing His name. People shouldn’t have to wonder or ask if you belong to Jesus. They should know it by your speech, by your actions, and by your steadfast commitment to Him.

 

#912 - Because He isn't going anywhere.

 

"But whoever loves God is known by God." - 1 Corinthians 8:3