Sweet and Bitter

The blessed union of Christian marriage. The picture of Christ and his Church. Great food. Great location on the water. Great Music. My five year old "getting down" on the dance floor. Adults acting in ways that aren't quite normal for them because of the special occasion. Great fun.

Brandon and Amy's wedding last Friday had everything, well almost. It was pretty clear to us that something, better someone, was missing from the wedding party. Cecil, Brandon's grandfather (also grandfather of my wife and great grandfather of my children), was admitted to the hospital on the day of the wedding because of suffering a mild stroke. The night before he walked down the aisle with everyone else during the rehearsal and stood in his proper place with the other groomsmen, but his place was vacant on the night of the wedding. As enjoyable as the occasion was, it was not perfect. Enjoying the event then became a great challenge, for no one knew at the time the extent of Cecil's problems.

We were reminded Friday Night of the sweet and bitter taste of life and death. Fortunately for Cecil, he was able to come home five days later and return to life as usual for an 84 year old man, whatever that may mean.

This life is full of its joys and disappointments. Many gathered to enjoy a wedding ceremony, and even more so a wedding reception. What a reminder this was to the blessings of life we have been given. Even our Lord attended at least one wedding, but not only did he attend, he sweetened the occasion with the water that was made wine. By the extension of God's common grace to all men, Christian or not, we delight ourselves in the joys of life when we are able to witness events like the joining of man and woman in marriage or the birth of a new child. But again, nothing is ever perfect here. Do you remember that we were not able to partake of the tree of life but we suffer from the curse of God because of our disobedience to his revealed command? If it weren't for reminders such as Cecil's absence Friday night we may not remember. In God's good providence we enjoyed Brandon and Amy's wedding, but also in God's good providence we suffered the absence of Brandon's grandfather. Perhaps it was for this very reason, that we are prone to look for Heaven on earth and to forget the realities of suffering and death brought upon us because of our own sin. No matter how much time and planning we invest, our most joyful events fall short of complete satisfaction and often disappoint us. God often uses suffering to remind us of the fading character of this life and to re-focus our vision upon him and his promises to us in the gospel.

"Lord, disappoint us with everything but Thine Own Self."

Charles Spurgeon writes of life on earth contrasted with life in Heaven:

Here, my best joys bear “mortal” on their brow;
My fair flowers fade;
my dainty cups are drained to dregs;
my sweetest birds fall before Death’s arrows;
my most pleasant days are shadowed into nights;
and the flood tides of my bliss subside into ebbs of sorrow.

“But there,” he writes, “everything is immortal”:

The harp remains in tune,
the crown unfading,
the eye undimmed,
the voice unfaltering,
the heart unwavering;
and the immortal being is wholly absorbed in infinite delight.

HT: Justin Taylor