I was fortunate to read the following scripture at my oldest daughter’s wedding this last weekend. My commentary of the scripture and wedding event follows:
1 Corinthians 13 English Standard Version (ESV)
The Way of Love
13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;[b] 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Many have heard or read of this passage at weddings. My daughter’s wedding last Friday was no different however for me, it had much more impact than any event my wife and I have been to. There is a TON of information in this passage but today i’d like to bring a few key points that came to us after this marriage event:
- The Bridegroom is the ANSWER to everything. As Taylor, my daughter, walked down the aisle to meet her husband, Casey, all of her fears, hesitations, and nervousness was eliminated at the altar. As the two united under God and with witnesses, Casey was the answer to ALL OF TAYLOR’s waiting. For us the same is true with Christ. HE IS THE BRIDEGROOM, and as we enter into salvation through Him, all of our sins, fears, hesitations, they are ALL GONE. Taylor has been waiting for this moment for over 3 years and in a moment, it was here, right in front of her, Casey, the object of her love and affection, became her prize. Christ has done the same for us. (Much Much More of course but the same)
- The FATHER is watching everything. As Taylor’s father, i wanted her event to be perfect. I made sure to introduce myself to every single person that joined us in this event. IT WAS MY DUTY to ensure that EVERYONE at the wedding KNEW me, met me, and more importantly that EVERYONE has what they needed to enjoy Taylor and Casey on this day. As her Father, I WAS WATCHING EVERYTHING. Every detail, every speech, every decoration, every vendor, every participant, every family member, I had it all in my view and NOTHING and NO ONE was left un-noticed. Our Father in heaven does no different with our marriage to Christ. He is watching everything. He is OVER it ALL and knows every detail of every moment and HE WILL NOT FAIL US in the glorious event.
- At the end of the night, the BRIDE and GROOM are given PRIVACY. One of the most emotional times of the evening last Friday was watching Taylor and Casey enter the black car and drive away. They were ready to LEAVE the celebrations with EVERYONE and be alone, together, a new marriage, a new unity, no longer two individuals, but ONE COUPLE in Christ. They were given privacy to enjoy each other. Our Faith in Christ is the same. No matter your ministry, no matter the size of your church or small group, or community, our faith in Christ reaches a place of privacy where it is Him and I, alone over everything. I get to HEAR from Jesus one on one. I get to interact with Him on MY OWN. Where no OUTSIDE factors, people, or circumstances can interject, affect, or ALTER HIS TIME AND LOVE with me. Christ does the same for you, and for everyone that has called Him Savior and King. Although I did not want to see Taylor and Casey leave, I knew it was NOW THEIR MARRIAGE. Myself and Heather now have a MUCH DIFFERENT role in Taylor’s life as she has left us to cleave with HIM. Salvation in Christ has the same.
- TRANSPARENCY always wins… Another wonderful and heart warming part of the event was when I was blessed to speak to these two kids for the Father of the Bride Speech. It took everything I had to make sure I did NOT make it about me but about them. As I created the speech I thought through every detail, every word, and when it was delivered in front of everyone it was real and it was true. What I shared was some REAL FEELINGS of how i was scared at first for Taylor. I shared on how I needed Casey to forgive me for some assumptions i had made of him in the beginning of our relationship. I cried. I sniffled. I smiled. What I found was that in honesty and transparency, I COULD NOT FAIL them with the speech. I pray they heard and understood every word but I KNOW IT WAS REAL. I didn’t fake anything and i didn’t add anything that wasn’t 100% accurate of my heart and mind and feelings. Transparency always wins.
There was so much more to share on this event. Perhaps for more Barnabas Man posts down the road for later. This is know …. MY OWN MARRIAGE is going to grow from this wedding. MY OWN FAITH is getting a jumpstart boost from this wedding. The BRIDEGROOM of Christ showed up AGAIN for me this weekend in the witnessing of these two getting married and HE IS MY PRIZE. So much love, so much joy, so much intimacy. Christ your groom is SO JEALOUS for you friend. Enjoy Him and be blessed this morning.
Barnabas Man 
Great message, Brother!
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