What a beautiful blessed day this was for me to experience!

JP & Elspeth is in the Constantia Park Baptist Church and very involved in the body of Christ. At the moment I am doing a Counseling Course and our current module focusses on marriage. So I’m reading quite a lot on the subject. I recently read about the importance of marriage as a Covenant of Companionship and I couldn’t think of a better example of that than JP and Elspeth’s wedding. JP and Elspeth have known each other in the church for years and their friendship has been cultivated over a long period. God is the motivation for their commitment. His commands of purity, commitment, and love as an act of the will to serve the other in all his/her needs, is so beautifully reflected in their relationship.

What I find so compelling in my readings, is the full implications of a covenant as God himself demonstrated to us when he entered into a covenant with Abraham in Genesis 15:8-21. The covenant was literally cut by the symbolic cutting of an animal and then God, in covenanting with Abraham, took upon Himself the curse of the covenant, declaring by His act, “May I be torn apart if I do not fulfil my covenant obligations to you.” It was a graphic picture implying the most fearful consequences for failing to keep one’s oath. That is why marriage is a solemn commitment, binding on those who enter into it. – Jay E. Adams, Solving Marriage Problems.

We as Christians have such a different perspective compared to most of the Western World. Because we love God, we enter into this covenant which is more than a human promise. We have the help and counsel of God in His Word to solve every human problem we may encounter (2 Timothy 3:16). And God through His Holy Spirit assists us to resist sin and honour Him in fulfilling each other’s needs.

JP and Elspeth, thank you for allowing me to be part of your day, to capture this beautiful covenant of love between you… a love that reflects God’s love for us. May you become a strong pillar in God’s church and may you be a beautiful testimony to His Truth for the world.

We love because He first loved us. – 1 John 4:19

Finally, I want to commend the Christians at Constantia Park Baptist Church, who served you as a couple on this day. I was well aware of every bit of love and labour for His honour. The ceremony and reception truly left me with a sense of unity and love for Christ and His Gospel. To each and every person who made this day so special and God honouring, may God bless you! Their senior pastor, Willem Bronkhorst, gave the most beautiful Gospel message I’ve ever heard at a wedding. A message of the True Gospel:

08 Wedding Sermon for JP & Elspeth

We also thank God for His grace, that every family member could share in the celebration of their wedding day. Especially for Elspeth’s mother that is suffering greatly; her love and presence in the day has deeply affected everyone with so much gratitude.

Thanks also to JP’s family and extended family who introduced me to this beautiful couple…I can not say thank you enough.

For His glory, Lucinda