On behalf of my own family, and the Irby family; on behalf of this handsome man, Zack, and his most beautiful bride, Lori, it’s my honor to welcome you to this holy and joyous occasion. This morning we are gathered to celebrate love, witness commitment, and to establish a covenant in marriage between these two special people, and their God.
Two thousand years ago, the apostle John wrote, I have no greater joy than to see my children walking in truth. Today, Joe and I, together with our wives, Linda and Diane, bear witness to this statement.
Zack, Lori, you are the fruit of our prayers; you are the reward of our patience; and you are the blessing of our passion for Christ through the years. Not only do you know the truth, you are committed to walking in it. For this reason, you have chosen to marry not in an otherwise secular facility, but in this chapel; and not before human authority, but before the Lord Jesus Christ in whose name you will be united together as one. In so doing, you bear witness to the fact that the covenant of marriage was established by God, Himself, and is therefore not to be entered into lightly.
As parents, then, we are so thankful that God gave you to us, as children, for a season. Likewise, now, we are thankful God gave you to one another, as adults, to be man and woman, husband and wife, for the rest of your lives. Zack, Lori, we are very proud of you.
Let us pray …
Zack, Lori, many words have been written to define and describe marriage. For instance,
- Marriage is when you agree to spend the rest of your life sleeping in a room that's too warm, beside someone who's sleeping in a room that's too cold.
- Marriage is like twirling a baton, turning handsprings or eating with chopsticks. It looks easy until you try it.
- Marriage is nature's way of keeping people from fighting with strangers.
But perhaps a sign in the wheelhouse of a boat owned by former Oakland Raider Quarterback, Ken Stabler, describes it best: "Get in, sit down, shut up, hang on."
More significantly, Proverbs 18:22 states that he who finds a wife finds what is good, and receives favor from the Lord. Zack, as your father, may I affirm that in Lori you have indeed found what is good. She is a most favorable gift to you, a gift from the Lord. For as you know, the DeYmaz family values are these: faith, courage and sacrifice. And in Lori, I see them all. Like your mother, she is a woman of faith and woman of prayer. By faith she has entrusted her life into God’s eternal care; and today by faith she entrusts herself to you. Lori knows her redeemer lives. More than this, Lori is a woman of great courage. From my own experience, I can tell you that it takes tremendous courage for a single mother first to give birth and then to raise a child on her own. And this Lori has done not only courageously, but gracefully. Today, then, you not only receive this woman, but her beautiful little girl, Grace, as your own. Remind yourself of this each and every time you tuck her into bed at night, and let her very name cause you to love your wife even more. Finally, Lori is a woman of proven sacrifice who has repeatedly put the needs of her child above her own. In so doing, she has waited patiently on the Lord and He has inclined his ear to hear her cry. Today, son, you are her reward.
Likewise, Lori, Proverbs 12:14 states that a wife of noble character is her husband's crown. In conveying his thought, Solomon paints the picture of a king whose crown is the symbol of his authority, yet more than that, the respect and honor due a man who bears the burdens of responsibility for any and all those under his care. Lori, today you become for Zack such a symbol and a crown. Again, as his father, I can assure you that he is worthy of your respect and honor, indeed of your hand in marriage. As you heard last night, and have found yourself, he is a humble leader and a loyal friend. I have no doubt as he has been for others he will be for you. Zack, too, has entrusted himself by faith to God and one whose time in Colorado solidified his understanding that there is a God and he, Zack, is not Him. As an athlete, a quarterback, I have seen Zack stand in the pocket without fear, endure suffering without complaint, and walk steady into the unknown, time and time again, with great courage that has made him strong. And yes, Zack, too is a man of sacrifice readily putting the needs of others above his own. The fact is, most young men will take a wife, and only a wife, in this season of their lives. My son, however, more selflessly today, takes not only your hand, but the hand of Grace, into his own. I want you to know he does so willingly. For to him, to love you is to love your daughter. And this he will do well, I have no doubt.
Now finally, as you both have seen, families are not perfect because people are not perfect. We are all human after all, filled with hurts from the past, and having hurdles of personality to overcome. Yet in Christ, we continue to find hope through perseverance and an ongoing willingness to forgive one another mindful of the mercy and grace with which we, too, have been forgiven. Remember this when you remember us in the days ahead. More than that, take everything we are, let go of everything we are not, and live better in the years ahead because of the spiritual and loving foundation we have tried our best to provide for you. Whether then because of us, or in spite of us, always remember; you are who you are because of God’s grace, and because of your family.
Zack, Lori …
- Without faith it is impossible to please God;
- Without courage it is impossible to walk by faith;
- Without sacrifice, it is impossible to experience God’s great rewards in this life or in the one to come.
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