Chaplain’s Corner: CLXXXIX

“I Believe”

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of officiating at a number of weddings. On the whole, the brides and grooms have had very little in common. Some have been tall and some have been short. Some have been quiet while others have been exuberant. Some would have jumped at the chance to star in an episode of SAY YES TO THE DRESS, while others loved staying under the radar.

Several couples over the years that I married were not high school graduates. Other couples were in their 80’s. I married our Governor and his wife and I have done destination weddings to interesting places all over the map. I’ve married couples on the beach, on golf courses, on boats, but most of my weddings have been in the church. However, I think there is a trend for fewer church weddings where anyone other than clergy can officiate.

On separate occasions, there were grooms who fainted during the ceremony. Attendants have fainted and I remember catching one beautiful bridesmaid before she hit the stone floor of the church. In my first church, I remember when a groom just didn’t show up for a big evening wedding. People have lost rings and when it came time for the bride to put on her new husband’s finger, I quickly substituted my own wedding ring. I’ll never forget the look of surprise on her face. I’ve married a couple in the hospital. While most couples are looking forward to the rest of their lives, the groom in this case had just two months to live. “I just want to leave this world knowing we got married,” he said.

Some couples have been wealthy and immediately took off on a honeymoon on other continents.
Others were barely able to scrape together enough to pay the fee to get their wedding license. Over 50 years in ministry, I’ve seen a lot of different brides and grooms. But I’ve never once seen a bride or a groom come to their own wedding and casually say “I do” without having given some serious thought
as to how proclaiming those two little words was going to change their life forever.

It’s striking how often people of faith say other words—“I believe”-without really comprehending the consequences of making such a statement. Whatever your convictions about spiritual realities, you are in danger of committing spiritual perjury because you haven’t seriously tried to connect your life with your words. There are many different statements or creeds by which we can affirm our core beliefs.

Here is a simple of one that reflects the Christ following tradition. If you feel so led, you can even make these words your own:

I BELIEVE
I BELIEVE IN ONE GOD,
WHO IS FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT.

I BELIEVE THAT THE FATHER LOVES ME
WITH A LOVE THAT IS IMMEASURABLY
MORE THAN ALL I CAN ASK OR IMAGINE.

I BELIEVE THERE IS ONE HOPE FOR THIS
WORLD AND ONE HOPE FOR MY LIFE AS
WELL-AND THAT IS JESUS CHRIST.

I BELIEVE THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT IS
EVEN NOW TRANSFORMING ME
INTO THE PERSON GOD
HAS ALWAYS INTENDED ME TO BE.

BY GOD’S GRACE I WILL CHOOSE EVERY
DAY TO LIVE OUT WHAT I SAY I BELIEVE
WITH GOD’S HELP I WILL EXTEND GOD’S
LOVE TO EVERY PERSON I MEET, NO
MATTER WHO THEY ARE
OR WHAT THEY BELIEVE.

THROUGH GOD’S POWER I WILL
CONTINUE TO BELIEVE-UNTIL IN
HEAVEN, FACE TO FACE
WITH THE LORD, MY BELIEVING
WILL AT LAST BECOME SIGHT.

Faithfully,
Ron Naylor, Chaplain