A week ago, I was celebrating the marriage of a young man, whose family (many years ago) became my (and mine’s) adopted family. This family’s Godly love and caring accompanied me and mine through so many storms and, by our sides, they also shared so many of God’s blessings. Thus, it was such an honor and cherished moment to now stand by their side as their firstborn pledged his love of God and his bride.
So many moments of the ceremony touched my heart and soul but none as deeply as their pledge of unity. In introducing the unity ceremony, the celebrant declared there are different ways of portraying unity. Some couples choose candles, others prefer sand; but this bride and groom embraced a personal, unique way. The minister continued that the bride goes by “PB”, the initials of her name. The groom is often called “J”, the initial of his first name. Thus, as the symbol of their unity, they chose “PB&J”. Peanut butter and jelly, once joined together, meshes into one inseparable entity. It’s a beautiful metaphor for a husband and wife becoming one. However, the celebrant was far from the end of sharing the deeper meaning beneath “PB&J’s” chosen expression for their unity. He continued that Christ is the Bread of Life — the wrap that sustains and nourishes all lives. Symbolizing their recognition of Christ as the source of their heart and soul and pledging themselves not only to each other, but also, to Christ, “PB&J” joined hands in holding a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and, simultaneously, enjoyed a bite of it.
Never again will I ever consider a “PB&J” sandwich as plain, ordinary and mundane. Quite the contrary, from this day forward, a “BP&J” sandwich is a heavenly feast symbolizing Christ as the life-giving source of my daily bread. I share this story with you, hoping it feeds your soul as it did mine.
“Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty’.” John 6:35 (NIV)
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