For God so loved the world

At 1.30 pm on a late October day the organ in St Andrew’s Church swelled to its full volume. The nervous young bride clung tightly to her father’s arm as she started the long walk down the aisle where an equally terrified young man stood waiting for her. Once they drew level her father stood aside, his duty done he had delivered her to her intended husband. She lifted her veil and the young man was certain that all would be well. The ceremony proceeded, they made their vows, “for richer, for poorer” “in sickness and in health”, “til death us do part”.

There have been periods when money has been tight and times when sickness has cast her long shadow over our lives and of course there have been ups and downs as I suppose happens in every marriage. But there have been more good times than bad for which I thank God.  

Last week we celebrated 54 years of marriage and I know that my love for this amazing companion whom God has given me to accompany me on this journey through life has grown deeper as time goes on.  For this blessing I thank God each and every day. Why she puts up with me I will never know; I am not perfect – far from it – but she does.  

​Whilst on a human level our love for one another is wonderful, I ask you to think on this: God loves and accepts each of us broken, sinful, far from perfect human beings just as we are. How or why He should wish to do so is not for us to comprehend but we need to believe in God’s forgiving mercy for us and to accept it.
 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”                                                 John 3:16(KJV)