Tonight I was privileged to be a part of a beautiful wedding ceremony.

I don’t mean beautiful in the sense that there were flowers in abundance and a picturesque setting. I mean beautiful as in a God-honoring, worship-ful, Gospel-centric ceremony where Jesus took prominence.

I’ve been to lots of weddings in my lifetime, but very few where the bride and groom were secondary to Christ and the Gospel. I think that reflects of two people with servant hearts whose marriage will be about the both of them serving God together better than they could apart.

Of course, the bride was lovely. While all eyes are on her as she walks down the aisle, I still love to catch a quick glimpse of the groom as his expression changes once he sees her. Sometimes it’s shock and awe. Sometimes it’s tears. Sometimes it’s overwhelming joy. Always it’s priceless.

I’ve been to much more elaborate (and costly) ceremonies where the marriage didn’t last six months. Big weddings don’t have to mean misplaced priorities, but I’ve never been to a small, quiet ceremony that focused on God that didn’t turn into a blessed marriage.

Thanks, Jeff and Megan, for inviting me to share in the joy of your wedding. I feel blessed to have been a part of it. My prayer echoes that of the pastor that your marriage will be a manifestation of heaven on earth and a demonstration of how much Christ loves His church.