Nine years ago today I was readying myself to walk down the aisle and become David’s wife. It was a nerve-wracking yet exciting time and I knew my life was about to change. I remember clearly thinking- “I am making a decision to wake up every morning and choose to love and be committed to this man” and that has been the case. At our wedding (and my parent’s wedding too), the following Bible reading was read:
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
-Ephesians 3:14-21
In marriage and in life, we learn how to love by first being loved by God. For this is true love- not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent Jesus to die in our place (1 John 4:10). Once we are rooted and grounded in this love, the Holy Spirit empowers us to know and experience the love of God. While it is hard to comprehend- just how wide and high and deep and long- the love of Christ is, the Holy Spirit and the Word of God reveals to us this love.
God doesn’t love us because of our character or good works; God loves because of His character. God is love and loves because of His grace and mercy. In marriage, we have an opportunity to mirror a small human portion of this love to our spouse. As we grow in our knowledge and appreciation of the love of God that has been extended to us, we can give to others.
As I read this beautiful prayer from Paul, I see his passion for his purpose. Paul was praying deeply for the Ephesians that God would strengthen them to fight the fight of faith, rooted and grounded in this knowledge of God. For this is what life is truly about.
This is for you hun- here’s to many more years of living out our faith and love together:
