“How shall I love thee? Let me count the ways.” So begins the enchanged poet. He goes on to make an oath, promising the fullness of his love, the depth and breadth and hight of his love should belong to his beloved throughout eternity.
This is the romantic stuff dreams are made of. This is the stuff of sunshine and flowers, of castles and knights in shining armor, of happy ending movies. We love the idea of falling into such a love. There’s nothing like the giddy lightheadedness that such romance brings.
But we’re here today to call you into a place even more wonderful than that – to make a connection between the two of you that is deeper and broader and higher than the love of that poet. Today, everyone here is calling you into the kind of relationship that Paul described – a relationship that will take you beyond the fluttering of your hearts, beyond the breathlessness, beyond the reaches of our human minds. It is a relationship in holy love – all encompassing love, the kind of over-abundant and gracious, forgiving love that God has for us.
This deep love is one that will reveal itself to you a little bit each day. It will grow deeper and stronger, even when you’re not aware of it. And in those moments when you don’t feel kind or patient that love will be there. You will know that your bond, your connection, your relationship is complete, not because you are perfectly able to be IN love, but because you are growing into the kind of love that endures. It is a love that forgives, a love that shares, a love that is far deeper and broader and higher than words can express. This kind of love is what we all wish for you this day. This love is God’s gift to you in this marriage. Amen.
Improvisations 