I've been asked to do more weddings in the past few months than in the last several years. My favorite thing about people getting married is that it is an easy line to draw from how we feel about each other to how much God loves us.
The dilemma I've faced a few times now is when I am approached by people who are not part of our church community (or any church community, for that matter). They are not asking my permission to be married, but they do want a pastor to officiate. Usually, during our conversation they communicate to me that, even though they don't have a vital or consistent relationship with God, they still want his blessing and want him to be part of their union.
This brings up an interesting spiritual dilemma. In Romans 1, Paul talks about the fact that no one is without excuse when it comest to knowing God, because there is enough evidence of him out there that everyone has the opportunity to seek him...and if we seek him, he will reveal himself to us. I believe that a wedding can be one of those moments where someone who is mostly irreligious will suddenly be seeking God--and I believe God is not only pleased by this, but will reveal himself to them.
The conversations I've had with people wanting to get married have been the most grace-filled, God-centered, and peace-delivering conversations I could hope for. Couples seem to leave with a sense that God loves them, even if they haven't been going to church or being "religious".
I could be wrong about this, but I've come to the conclusion that I would rather build a bridge between two people and God and establish a relationship with them myself than play the role of one more religious person who invalidates their love and commitment by denying them God's presence in their wedding.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment