I had the chance to be a part of a wedding of two of my favorite people in the whole world, John Engebretson and Michelle Stark. It was a beautiful wedding, more so because both are not only in love with each other, but with Jesus.

They chose as their first act as a married couple to take communion together. That was a sacred and sweet moment.

The pastor who officiated the ceremony had some really good words on what love in marriage looks like.

He said that the Greek had different words used for love. One is eros, which is basically glandular love. It’s something like “You meet my needs and make me feel good and satisfy my urges.” That’s not nearly enough to make a marriage work.

The second is philia, or brotherly love. He described it as an “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine, but I’ll stab you in the back if you stab me in mine” kind of love. That’s not enough, either.

Agape love, God’s love, is what a marriage needs. It’s the love that says “I love you regardless.” The love that is unconditional, unlimited, sacrificial and selfless.

Agape is what send Jesus to the cross for a people who had rebelled against His Father and rejected Him time and time again. Agape is God saying, “I will love you no matter what, whether you love me or not, and My love will never stop pursuing your heart.”

The wedding cake had a normal front, but the back half had lego pirates, because everything is better with pirates. Duh. That’s kind of a given. Who didn’t like Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Carribbean? Really.

I hope that if God blesses me with a woman who looks at me and my weirdness and still wants to be my wife, that I have a ceremony like that. One that honors God and honors marriage.

Society, culture, and the media have done everything to undermine marriage or to take the marriage vow lightly, or use it in vain. These days more than ever a man and a woman have to be intentional about living out a godly marriage that honors God and each other. One that demonstrates Christ’s love for His bride. One that really shows just how much God loves His people.

And yes, I really do still think God’s got someone for me. I also see that it’s no fairy tale happily ever after dream, but a lifelong swim against the current, but with hidden blessings and treasures that only God could have though of.

PS It’s good to be back blogging after a weekend in Ohio. Ohio’s good, but there’s no place like home.