1 Corinthians 13
Love is a verb. It is not just a state of being but an ACTION verb.
It is not just how you feel about each other, but what you DO
for each other that will keep your relationship growing and alive.
The Bible has a lot to say about love. Let me read 1 Corinthians 13
from The Living Bible:
"Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never
boastful or proud, never haughty or selfish or rude. Love does not
demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy. It does not hold
grudges and will hardly even notice when others do it wrong. It is never
glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth wins out.
"If you love someone you will be loyal to him no matter what the
cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and
always stand your ground in defending him."
KELLEY and CHRIS, in the Hawaiian language there is a term that
describes how couples should treat one another: Ho’oponopono,
which means: "to put things right . . . by family discussion."
In other words, don’t let the sun set on your anger. Talk your
problems out. Make things right with each other quickly each day, before
the sun disappears. That’s the best way to keep small misunderstandings
from growing into problems that can break down your relationship.
Marriage is more than a contract. It is a commitment to take your joy
deeper than happiness, deeper into the discovery of who you really are.
It is a journey to a life of becoming. Marriage is even deeper than
commitment. It is a covenant—a covenant that says: I love you. I trust
you. I will be here for you when you are hurting. And when I am hurting,
I will not leave. . . Marriage is intended to provide a sanctuary safe
enough to risk loving, to risk fully living and risk sharing from the
center of yourself. Expect the best from your lover and you can
transform your home into a castle where love thrives.
Sandburg’s Poem
While marriages are founded and built upon love, emotions are often
fickle. Poet Carl Sandburg captured the essence of a love which can
stand the test of time when he wrote:
"I love you. I love you for what you are, but I love you yet more for
what you are going to be. I love you not so much for your realities as
for your ideals. I pray for your desires, that they may be great, rather
than for your satisfactions, which may be so hazardously little.
"A satisfied flower is one whose petals are about to fall. But the
most beautiful rose is one, hardly more than a bud, wherein the pangs
and ecstasies of desire are working for larger and finer growth. Not
always shall you be what you are now. You are going forward toward
something great. I am on the way with you and . . I love you."
HIS VOWS
CHRIS, please take the lei and place it around KELLEY ‘s neck. Let
these pretty & fragrant flowers that you have placed upon KELLEY remind
you of the beautiful and fragile nature of your relationship with her.
Is it your desire CHRIS, to continue to have KELLEY as your wife, to
live together according to the Word of God? Will you continue to love
and cherish her, giving her assistance in all of life’s labors? Will you
continue to be true to her both in sickness and health, both when things
are going well and when there are difficulties? And will you continue to
be faithful to her as long as you both shall live? If so, you may
answer, I WILL.
CHRIS, cherish KELLEY always, treating her as your princess.
HER VOWS
KELLEY, take this lei and place it around CHRIS ‘s neck. Let the
beauty & fragrance of these flowers which you are giving to CHRIS remind
you of this day when you have recommitted yourself to him, to once again
be his bride.
Is it your desire KELLEY, to continue to have CHRIS as your husband,
to live together according to the Word of? Will you continue to love him
and submit to him in the Lord, and be his helper in all that comes your
way. Will you continue to be true to him both in sickness and health,
both when things are going well and when there are difficulties? And
will you continue to be faithful to him as long as both of you shall
live? If so, you may answer, I WILL.
KELLEY, cherish CHRIS always, treating him as your prince.
HER RING
CHRIS, please touch the ring that you gave to KELLEY when you were
first married, now symbolically re-giving it to
That ring was subjected to tremendous heat so that the waste could be
removed and the metal purified into a fit token of your commitment of
love. CHRIS, let this ring symbolize your willingness to build your
character through your self-sacrificial love for KELLEY.
Holding KELLEY 's hand and looking into her eyes, repeat after me as
you make these vows to her:
I CHRIS,
renew my commitment
to you KELLEY
as your lawfully wedded husband.
I will continue to love you
I will continue to cherish you.
I will continue to be true to you
No matter what comes;
Whether we become rich or poor
Whether there is sickness or health,
For as long as we both shall live,
And with this ring,
As a symbol of my love,
I now renew my vow
of marriage to you.
HIS RING
KELLEY, place your fingers on the ring that you gave to CHRIS when
you were first married as you symbolically re-give it to him.
That ring is a circle, which symbolizes eternity—because a circle has
no ending. KELLEY, let the ring remind you always that you desire your
relationship with CHRIS to continue for a lifetime. Repeat after me as
you make these vows to him:
I KELLEY,
renew my commitment
to you CHRIS
As your lawfully wedded wife.
I will continue to love you.
I will continue to cherish you.
I will continue to be true to you,
No matter what comes.
Whether we become rich or poor;
Whether there is sickness or health,
For as long as we both shall live,
And with this ring
As a symbol of my love,
I now renew my vow
of marriage to you.
PRAYER
PROCLAMATION
Now that you CHRIS and you KELLEY have openly expressed your desire
to remain united in the covenant of marriage, and as you have given each
other these leis and symbolically re-given each other rings to reconfirm
your vows;
I, John Souter, by the power & authority granted to me as a minister
of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, do affirm before God, that the two of you
have today expressed your desire to rekindle your love and passion and
renew your vow of marriage.
From this moment on, let all know of your desire to continue for a
lifetime, as:
Husband and wife
in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Amen.
God has joined you together —let no one tear you apart.
"May the Lord bless you and keep you; may His face shine upon you;
may He be gracious to you and give you peace, forever."
