Happy Anniversary! Oh, not to you but to me and to my lovely wife. Forty-three years ago today we married in our home church and set out on our life together as husband and wife.
Wow, 43 years! It hasn't been easy - for her, that is. Living with me is not painless. If being married to me was a reality show, it would be Survivor, not the Amazing Race.
The Bible gives us some instructions about marriage. In Ephesians chapter five, Paul summarizes some good teaching with the words, "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."
Mutual submission, living for the other person, is part of God's plan in marriage. Yield. When both partners do that, a marriage can be successful.
But in that chapter, Paul has another purpose. He uses marriage to illustrate a deeper truth. "This is a profound mystery -but I am talking about Christ and the church." As a husband loves His wife and gives himself to her, so Christ loved the church and gave up His life for her to cleanse her and make her holy. As the wife also yields to her husband, so the church yields to Christ who is our Savior. He loves feeds, and cares for His church.
Yes, even in this day and age, marriage is important. But today's lesson is much bigger than that.
God wants us to know that the church is important. It is truly the marriage made in heaven. It is greatly alive in Carson City, and each part offers a hearty welcome. Oh, we're human and make some big mistakes, but we're all trying. Come and see.
• Bruce Henderson, vice president of Carson City Christian Ministerial Fellowship and minister of the Airport Road Church of Christ.