A Time of New Beginnings
 |
Jim’s first wife passed away three years
ago after a long bout with breast cancer. His faith in God and firm belief that
God loved him helped my brother as he had to adjust to being single again after
thirty-four years of marriage. Finding the “new normal,” as he described it,
wasn’t easy.
Sheryl’s life was turned upside down suddenly, when her husband was
involved in a fatal motorcycle accident. With the Lord’s help, she was able to
work through the grief of the devastating loss; however she built a wall around
her heart in the years following the accident as a protection from experiencing
that kind of pain again. She wondered if she would ever be able to love anyone
as deeply as she had loved him.
Both families had known each other for a long time through their
involvement in home schooling and community activities. As a single man whose
kids were grown, my brother started looking for companionship and remembered
Sheryl. For a start, he offered to help Sheryl organize her garage and attic. She
accepted that offer; and later they began dating. Their relationship grew
stronger, but Jim was cautious and was willing to wait until she was ready to
make a commitment. Well, he did admit proposing many times, not giving up when
she told him she wanted to wait awhile. We were all happy when she finally
said, “yes!”
Their wedding was held last Saturday
afternoon in Davis,
with about seventy people—mostly family—in attendance. Sheryl’s daughter was
her matron of honor and Jim’s oldest son, his best man. My brother, looking
handsome in his black tux, and Sheryl, a beautiful bride in an elegant white
wedding dress, stood hand in hand as they committed their lives to one another
and recommitted their lives to the Lord.
During the service, the congregation was
asked to read the “Apostles’ Creed” in unison, which expressed clearly Jim and
Sheryl’s faith in Jesus Christ:
“I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth;
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead…”
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead…”
This is the essence of what Jesus’
apostles believed and taught, and the hope for which they lived and died, as it
is for every follower of Jesus. It is the foundation upon which Jim and Sheryl
will be building their marriage, just as they have in the past.
I
pray that Easter will be a time of renewal and new commitment for each of us.
Through His death and resurrection, Jesus has made possible a new beginning in
life. Praise the Lord! Happy Easter!
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,
he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”
2 Corinthians 5:17
NIV
(published in the Porterville Recorder on 4-19-14)
Comments
Post a Comment