…Or in other words, The “Story” after “20 Years” 😀

20 years ago, God granted me to be able to have Sue as my wife. I mentioned it at 15 years, and it’s been even more confirmed over the last 5, but besides having been given God-fearing parents, she is the best temporal gift I’ve received from Him. I am blessed to have been given a godly, God-fearing wife.

And since this is my blog post, I get to highlight her, even though she’ll be embarrassed. 😀

Why do I say she’s godly? Because the Bible describes her:

Ephesians 5:22 – “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.“

1 Peter 3:1-6:

1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;

2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.

3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:

6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

(No, she doesn’t call me “lord”, but she does sometimes reply “Yes sir” when I ask her to do something, something I have not asked her to do. )

1 Timothy 2:9-10:

9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;

10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

1 Corinthians 11:5 – “But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.“

Exodus 20:8 – “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.“

— and she endeavors to keep the whole day, as it states —

…all which show obedience to God, and God says:

1 John 2:3-5:

3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

and

1 John 5:3: “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.“

and

John 14:21 – “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.“

And then there is this:

James 1:27 – “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.“

Sue has been literally fulfilling this on and off for a year and a half or more with an elderly lady who has had no one else, who lives quite a few miles outside of town the opposite direction from us. May the Lord reward her for her faithfulness and service to Him in helping her.

Also, this is Sue:

• She is the most considerate person I know
• She is almost always cheerful
• Life in the temporals out here is quite difficult, and she almost never complains

And after all those characteristics, Sue would be the first to attribute them all only to God’s gift of graces to her.

While not absolutely perfect yet, she’s perfect for me — a help meet made for me (Gen 2:18). I try to make sure to thank the Lord for her every day. She is truly a “good gift” and “perfect gift” “from above” that has come “down from the Father of lights”.

And I try to make sure to pray for her every day. I’ve asked God if I could have one request, beyond that He glorify Himself through us, it would be that He would grant Sue His eternal presence one day and that He would guide me to guide her to that end. I believe this is the best thing I could ever hope for her and the best thing to be used for with her.

God has also granted we be of like mind, especially in the things of Him, including endeavoring to make Him the center of our household.

Even on our wedding day, we tried to focus much on Him. Our theme verse was that James 1:17 verse in the image above, and the following picture is from the video, so it’s a little grainy, but this is the “gift” table, where we had gifts of Bibles and AW Pink’s “The Attributes of God” for our guests to take. Most of all of them were gone by the end. We pray the Lord used or would even today use them to the benefit of those who took them:

The Lord in His wisdom never granted us children. We don’t know why for sure (we can certainly imagine and understand as chastisements for sins past), but interestingly, we were asked on our wedding day after the ceremony what we would say to them. Here’s our answer, which I believe we would still say today:

Finally, I thought we’d share with you a few moments from the ceremony: Besides the Bibles and books, we wanted to try to make sure to share the gospel message with our guests. The following is a video of that part, and the text is included here, below the video. I’d probably say a few things a little differently now, but it still seems to bring forth the gospel message.

We pray even now that maybe God has or would water that seed planted 20 years ago to bring someone to Him, or that He might do so now to a reader or watcher/listener:

Before we begin the actual joining of these two in holy matrimony, Sue and Dave asked if I would share some things that they would like said from them to you ….. which is this:

It really is beautiful here – the flowers and all of their colors and aromas, the trees and their shade – the beauty of creation.  Or the stars at night – the infinite number of shimmering lights in the sky.  Such beauty; such magnitude; such magnificence.  One could wonder how all of this could have happened; perhaps that even God does exist to have all of this and the universe about us.  Well, Sue and Dave would like to suggest that indeed God did create these wonders – a gracious, loving, perfect and holy God.  How great are the works of His creation!

But amidst all of this beauty and splendor, there is a problem.  Back a long time ago imperfection entered the creation through the rebellion of His creation, namely man.  And unfortunately, this rebellion has carried through to man today.  No doubt we can all imagine that somewhere along our lives we have done something wrong – a little lie, some unnecessary anger.  We all have sinned at some point, which is disobedience to God.  But, you see, God is a holy and perfect God of whom there could be no disobedience allowed because of His perfection and holiness.  And sadly, disobedience demands judgment and condemnation from a perfect God.  And someday, there will be an eternal judgment.

And possibly about now you might be asking, Sue and Dave, why on this joyous occasion are you talking about eternal judgment and condemnation?  Ah, but, you see, that’s not the end of the story.  It doesn’t have to end there.  And this is where there is great joy and great hope!  God sent His Son Jesus, who was and is also perfect, to take the punishment that is due us – He died on a Roman cross as that punishment!  We don’t have to face God one day because of our sin!  We can be free from that judgment forever — truly an eternal joy!  But only Jesus, being perfect where we are not, is the one who takes that place for us in front of God — we must realize that He is the only One who can do that.  And why it’s appropriate today is that, while what we have around us here today in nature is only temporary, the Bible likens eternity with God free from judgment as a great wedding feast, where Jesus is the groom and those saved are His bride!  Certainly a joyous and wonderful occasion!

So, Sue and Dave would like to call you to that – that you ask Jesus to give you an understanding of these things and the desire to turn from sin.  That as you celebrate with them today, and experience the beauty of this place, that you would also ponder on these eternal things as well.

Let’s pray for a moment, if you would please.  Father, we ask that you would speak to each of our hearts today as we celebrate something here in the temporal world that foreshadows the great eternal celebration with you.  We ask that you would reveal who you are to each of us, that we all would see you in your creation, that you would give us the gifts of belief, faith and repentance.  We thank you for your graces and mercies, and we ask those for each of us here as well.  We thank you again, and pray these things  for the glory of your name.  Amen.

May we always be thankful, and may God always glorify Himself through us in some way. We’re thankful for the time He has graciously granted us together so far! 😀

— David