Wedding Quotes

Many of the members of Christ First (and a veritable plethora of other churches to tell the truth) were involved in a truly special day this past Saturday. Two of the young 'golden nuggets' of our church became one in marriage. It was a truly special day for all, and it was very much a truly special day for me as I had the honour of sharing the wedding homily.
I quoted repeatedly from the spectacular Catholic Theologian that has been 'lifting my gaze' of late, Hans Urs von Balthasar (be prepared to see this name and the output of his voluminous & remarkable writings often here) and thought I would place those quotes in full here for any to take in or to re-take in - they're more than worth the effort!

"What is a person without a life-form, that is to say, without a form which he has chosen for his life, a form into which and through which to pour out his life, so that his life becomes the soul of the form and the form becomes the expression of his soul?"

"What could be stronger than marriage or what shapes any particular life-form more profoundly then does marriage? Marriage is only true to itself if it is a kind of bracket that both transcends and contains all an individual's cravings to 'break out' of its bonds and to assert himself. Marriage is that indissoluble reality which confronts with an iron hand all existence's tendencies to disintegrate, and it compels the faltering person to grow, beyond himself, into real love by modelling his life on the form enjoined. When they make their promises, the spouses are not relying on themselves - the shifting songs of their own freedom - but rather on the form that chooses them because they have chosen it, the form to which they have committed themselves in their act as persons."

"If beauty is conceived of transcendentally, then its definition must be derived from God himself. Furthermore, what we know to be most proper to God -- his self-revelation in history & in the Incarnation --- must now become for us the very apex of & archetype of beauty in the world, whether men see it or not."

Chew, ruminate, be joyfully confronted that you do not understand all he's saying - he is talking about mysterious wonderful things is he not?

Simon

Don't Get this...

In the course of my bible-reading today I read 2 Corinthians 6. It is a passage of scripture that always causes me to ruminate upon a pastoral situation that is repeatedly encountered in any church situation and often with increased regularity in a church with younger people seeking their "life-time partner" so to speak.
It is an emotionally charged time and one, in an increasingly individualised setting, which few people are genuinely and wholeheartedly willing to receive the input of the church family. The pastoral situation I am referring to is the dating/marrying of an unbeliever.

To not want to hear what your peers and spiritual overseers may want to say in relation to the issues of romance and marriage is one thing, but to not heed the overt command of the Scriptures is wholly another. Again and again as I was a single young man hoping and longing for someone with whom I could honour the Lord and pursue the calling I sensed from him I received counsel regarding whom I was pursuing at any one time. But one thing that was an, "Umm duh, you don't need to tell me that" issue was the dating of someone who did not share my love for the Lord.

Seriously, I have always found dating or marrying an unbeliever a most remarkable state of affairs as it is not something "perhaps debatable in scripture." It is overtly opposed by scripture: "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?"
We can't make this one subjective. We can't fluff the lines with this one? I've even heard people say to me that they felt the Lord tell them they were called to marry an unbeliever cause they were going to "bring them to the Lord." Yes that sounds very likely that the Lord would ask you to disobey his revealed will. In fact, I can remember suggesting to my designated pastoral mentor at Bible College that maybe I could do "missionary dating" as my weekly pastoral placement - I said it to expose the absurdity of such an idea.

There are times when we, and we alone, must take the full brunt of a decision we have made - one which of course our remarkably gracious King can redeem if He chooses - but we cannot bring the will of the Lord into such decisions. We are making thousands of choices daily and the predominance of them are those in which we use the "set up" we have received from the Lord without going to Him in all reality.
This is right and actually is how it works. Thousands of choices should merely be made inside parameters inherent within our structure as human beings. For us, as believers, these parameters should be redeemed and be increasingly Christ-like the more we are transformed to His image and so in even everyday decision making we can become more God-honouring. But it is us who make the decisions, not Him.

If God did maybe get the absolute say on who we dated and/or married (not even sure Christians should date, but that's another can of worms) marriages, churches, and perhaps even our whole society would be vastly different. But, alas, we are seemingly most unwilling to listen or TO READ, when it comes to matters of the heart!

Simon

Meaning of Marriage - Timothy Keller

Just finished The Meaning of Marriage a thoroughly enjoyable and insightful read on the dynamics and realities of marriage envisioned from a Christian perspective. Marriage is God's, it - in all humility but with biblical foundation - is a Christian idea/reality and so it is helpful that such a brilliant Christian Pastor (and his wife Kathy Keller) have given us this book.

It is definitely a 'recommended resource' for anyone in our church, Christ First Watford, whatever age, background or marital status. The authors' clarity and forthright insight into the multi-love demands of marriage and its often "seemingly impossible demands" is of notable value and will provide hugely beneficial input for all people. The authors broach so many of the integral elements of Christian love in the wonderful Christocentric (cutting through the extremities in which so many people in our time approach marriage and erotic love) style that makes Tim Keller almost peerless at times.

I certainly suggest this as a read. I sense it, if read in humility and openess, will demand reassessment of how we understand marriage and perhaps even a humble stepping down from any lofty position we may have assumed in our marriages. It is a read that will, if taken on board and ingested, place demand upon you to be a more Christlike husband or wife or future husband or wife pursuing biblical marriage within biblical community. That must be a good reason to give it a thorough read!

Simon