The Wedding Vow - More Seeds of Hope for Lent

Today’s story seed is The Vow. From the Gospel of Luke chapter 22, verses 33 and 34. Peter said to him, “Lord, I am prepared to go to prison and to die with you.” But Jesus replied, “I tell you, Peter, before the cock crows this day, you will deny three times that you know me.” A man got down on one knee, looked up at the woman he loved, and asked, “Will you marry me?” She said, “Yes.” The wedding was planned, the guests invited. On the big day everyone clearly heard them exchange their vows. They pledged to love each other in sickness and in health, in good times and in hard times, till death do they part. The woman and the man felt an overpowering sense of love for each other. They were swept up in the emotion of the moment. Their feelings were true. It didn’t take long for that emotion to change. One day, when the woman came home from work, she found bread crumbs all over the counter once again. She was so aggravated that she began to yell at her husband. “Didn’t I tell you to use a plate when you butter your toast? Once again, you have left crumbs all over the counter. I’m sick of cleaning up your mess.” The man responded, “I am just trying to NOT use more DISHES so that we don’t have so much washing to do.” “Sometimes I wonder if you have a brain in your head?” she retorted. “It’s a lot easier to put a plate in the dishwasher than it is to clean the crumbs off the counter, the floor, and the table!” “Yeah,” he said, “It’s not like you spend a lot of time cleaning. Our house is a wreck, and it’s not because I don’t use a plate with my toast. Why don’t you try vacuuming once in a while?” “Why don’t you try vacuuming?” she taunted. “It might help you to lose some weight.” “Why don’t you try shutting your mouth,” he said. “I guess doing the laundry, cooking the food, and walking the dog isn’t enough for you?” She stomped her foot on the ground and shouted, “This is not what I signed up for!” This same story has been played out a billion times. People make vows. They believe with their whole heart they will follow them always, and then life happens. All of us make mistakes. All of us say things we later regret. It seems pretty clear that Jesus knows about this. Why do you think he tells Peter in front of everyone that Peter will deny him three times? Is he trying to humiliate Peter? Is he saying, Peter really doesn’t love him? Of course not. It seems clear that Jesus is teaching all of us a lesson. Even the person who loves him the most, who would do anything for him, is, at least at times, weak. We all come up short at some point. This is good news for married couples. You can work out your differences. Love is more than an emotion. It is a decision to act in loving ways, and when we fail, we try again. As we begin the holiest of weeks, let’s look for chances today to fulfill our vows, to find our strength in the Lord, to put our actions behind our words. Let us get down on one knee and profess our love for the Lord, then get up, and bring that love to the world. Now let’s take 30 seconds to water the seed… What do you need a second, third, or fourth chance to accomplish?