Story of Wedding

My husband's niece Hannah is marrying Wade Evans today. I'm sure she picked this day because her grandparents, Lyle and Ellen Lyon married sixty seven years ago tomorrow. We celebrate marriage. Since I first wrote this piece for my niece Gabrielle in 2011, a lot has changed on the wedding legal scene.
What is so special about marriage?  Why in this world of living together and anything goes, do couples want to go to the altar?
I believe we all have inside us the sweetest story from time immortal.  A creation of perfection, a tragedy, a ransom and a rescue provide the plot to this story.  Fairy tales follow this story.  Classics are centered on unselfish love.  Even modern popular stories use the elements of this wonderful story.  A love unconditional that we all crave for ourselves.  We want someone to love us for ourselves and to give up life for us.  It is inside all of us.  And we all want this adventure.
Human love can disappoint, humans disappoint each other.  It is in staying together in the vows we take, the commitment we make that continues and represents the Great Story.
This Great Story is Jesus and His love for people.  He created us in His image.  He paid the ransom for our folly, our sin by dying on the cross.  He rescues those who choose to believe and stay true to Him.  And He is returning for those He calls His Bride, the believers covered in His righteousness.
The Great Story is inside us all, whether we acknowledge it or not.  We are to model His love to each other and that is why we still want marriage.  Marriage is the symbol of this love.  Inside us, we all want  happily ever after.  God put that there.
So I pray for Hannah and Wade today that they continue the Story with a long marriage of blessings and love. Love long and prosper.