We Belong To Each Other
Sermon
BEST WEDDING MEDITATIONS
By Kenneth H. Sauer
This is a great day for John and Susan, for their families, for friends. Even our tears are tears of joy and gladness for them and their future together.
The Bible tells us that our God rejoices for them, too. The Bible you know isn't only concerned with spiritual things. The Bible is concerned with the lives of people in the world with their joys - and yes, the love of a man for a woman. Why else would the Bible contain some of the loveliest love poems ever written, the Song of Songs?
In the eighth chapter of the Song of Songs there are these words:
Set me as a seal upon your heart,
as a seal upon your arm:
for love is strong as death,
jealousy as cruel as the grave.
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
a most vehement flame.
Many waters cannot quench love,
neither can floods drown it.
(8:6, RSV)
In ancient times when few could write, one carried a seal suspended from the neck over the heart or worn on the right hand with which to make his signature - or mark.
In this verse the figure is switched. The woman says to the man - let my name be the seal worn over your heart and on your arm - to say that we belong together, that we are bound together.
From the time young people meet, know each other - to the time they exchange rings and vows in a wedding, they are saying in growing degrees of intensity, "We belong to each other."
We rejoice that John and Susan today say: "We belong to each other. Set me as a seal upon your heart."
The name Susan is a Hebrew word meaning Lily, one of the most beautiful flowers in the Bible. When in the Song of Songs the man wishes to speak of the unique beauty of his beloved he says: As a lily among brambles, so is my love among maidens.
And Jesus pointed out the lovely lilies of the field as examples of the Father's world of beauty and trust and faith.
So when you, John, say to Susan, "You are as a seal upon my heart," you are saying, "You are the loveliest of all to me - a woman of faith and trust."
John is a Hebrew word also - the Father of the brothers Maccabeus, those great strong heroes of ancient Israel who brought independence from Greek tyranny, was John Maccabeus. John means Gift of God.
When parents name a child, John, they do so because he is God's gift to them. John the Disciple was God's gift to the Church, bringing us the gospel and epistles which remind us God so loved ... God is love.
And when you, Susan, say to John, "You are as a seal on my heart" you are saying, "You are God's gift to me, my strong man - to whom I belong - with whom I shall live and work in this world from this time on!"
A festival of love - such is a marriage - this marriage. We celebrate the strength of love which has brought John and Susan together. We celebrate the staying power of love - so bright a flame nothing can put it out.
And we recognize that the love you have receives its energy and power from that love that never ends, that greatest love of all, the love of God which enfolds us now, and will continue to be with you all the days of your lives together. Amen.
This is a great day for John and Susan, for their families, for friends. Even our tears are tears of joy and gladness for them and their future together.
The Bible tells us that our God rejoices for them, too. The Bible you know isn't only concerned with spiritual things. The Bible is concerned with the lives of people in the world with their joys - and yes, the love of a man for a woman. Why else would the Bible contain some of the loveliest love poems ever written, the Song of Songs?
In the eighth chapter of the Song of Songs there are these words:
Set me as a seal upon your heart,
as a seal upon your arm:
for love is strong as death,
jealousy as cruel as the grave.
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
a most vehement flame.
Many waters cannot quench love,
neither can floods drown it.
(8:6, RSV)
In ancient times when few could write, one carried a seal suspended from the neck over the heart or worn on the right hand with which to make his signature - or mark.
In this verse the figure is switched. The woman says to the man - let my name be the seal worn over your heart and on your arm - to say that we belong together, that we are bound together.
From the time young people meet, know each other - to the time they exchange rings and vows in a wedding, they are saying in growing degrees of intensity, "We belong to each other."
We rejoice that John and Susan today say: "We belong to each other. Set me as a seal upon your heart."
The name Susan is a Hebrew word meaning Lily, one of the most beautiful flowers in the Bible. When in the Song of Songs the man wishes to speak of the unique beauty of his beloved he says: As a lily among brambles, so is my love among maidens.
And Jesus pointed out the lovely lilies of the field as examples of the Father's world of beauty and trust and faith.
So when you, John, say to Susan, "You are as a seal upon my heart," you are saying, "You are the loveliest of all to me - a woman of faith and trust."
John is a Hebrew word also - the Father of the brothers Maccabeus, those great strong heroes of ancient Israel who brought independence from Greek tyranny, was John Maccabeus. John means Gift of God.
When parents name a child, John, they do so because he is God's gift to them. John the Disciple was God's gift to the Church, bringing us the gospel and epistles which remind us God so loved ... God is love.
And when you, Susan, say to John, "You are as a seal on my heart" you are saying, "You are God's gift to me, my strong man - to whom I belong - with whom I shall live and work in this world from this time on!"
A festival of love - such is a marriage - this marriage. We celebrate the strength of love which has brought John and Susan together. We celebrate the staying power of love - so bright a flame nothing can put it out.
And we recognize that the love you have receives its energy and power from that love that never ends, that greatest love of all, the love of God which enfolds us now, and will continue to be with you all the days of your lives together. Amen.
