Weddings and crosses

      This past weekend, we had the privilege of attending the wedding of the daughter of some very dear friends.  The backdrop: God's astounding creation in the North Carolina mountains.  The wedding was outside on a perfect evening--slight breeze, deep blue sky dotted with a cloud or two. As we sat watching the joyful joining of a young couple who so clearly love not just one another but also passionately love their Savior, we were surrounded on every turn by green mountains and hills. Enjoying the gift of being with family and friends.  Celebrating love.  Eating and dancing with gusto. Savoring the wonder of God's glorious world.  Remembering the happy blessings of recent (and not so recent) weddings.  Ah, what a night!
      But here's what I'll never forget.  The backdrop of the ceremony and the silent, but beautiful sentinel over the whole evening--

      Oh Lord Jesus, I wanted to weep.  Thank You for making all of this possible.  For giving us the gifts of family, friends, love, creation, food, and music.  But most of all--for the unfathomable treasure of the cross by which You bore our sin and shame and gave us instead forgiveness, grace, acceptance, eternal life, and Your righteousness.
       "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Gal.2:20)  
      What a terrible...beautiful exchange.  Because You bore our filthy rags of selfishness, shame, pride, envy, gossip, hatred, ingratitude, greed and in exchange gave us Your brilliant robes of righteousness.  Good in exchange for bad.  Joy in exchange for despair.  Life in exchange for death.
      Might we never, ever tire of gazing at Your cross and praising You for the greatest, costliest, most precious of all our blessings--salvation.  A thousand lifetimes of the best this world could ever offer could not begin to compare to the glorious wonder of knowing Christ...and Him crucified.  Yes, as the words to a song put it, "This world is empty, pale and poor, compared to knowing you, my Lord."
      Thank You, thank You, thank You, Lord Jesus.  To God be the glory.