Zak and Beth's Wedding, Part 4

Long overdue post with pictures from Zak and Beth's wedding ceremony :)

Bekah blessed us by playing the piano
for the wedding

Dad Bale gave Beth to Zak, as Bekah and Joanna played
"O Perfect Love" on the piano/recorder

“As we have watched over the last several months of Zachary and Elizabeth getting to know each other, and coming to this momentous decision, it has been such a joy for us to see these two young people earnestly seeking the Lord’s will. More often than not, when you saw them together, you saw them with their Bibles open, studying together, praying together. It was such a joy to see that. As we have gotten to know Elizabeth, we are so thrilled to have her join our family.

"Zachary and Elizabeth, I just want to encourage you and challenge you that as you start your new life together, and as your love for each other grows, that you never lose your first love. It’s the Lord Jesus Who made this all possible for you two, and I know He is right now the most important Person in your lives - and it needs to stay that way. As you grow closer to Him, you will grow closer to each other. I encourage you to always seek that, so that together, with His help, your marriage will always be a wonderful thing, a blessing to each other and everyone around you."

"Elizabeth came home from Romania in January, having no idea what God was going to do with her life. Nor did any of us! that’s how God works. He has great things in store for all of us, as we seek and follow Him, and let our lives be committed into His hands and His care.
 

"We are so blessed to see Zak and Elizabeth wanting to serve the Lord. As we have endeavored to train up our children to love the Lord and love His holy Scriptures, that’s our final encouragement to give them today - 'Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.' Our desire for them is that their lives would be daily, weekly, monthly - as many days as the Lord gives them together - be based upon God’s Word. As Elizabeth and Zak build their lives together on God’s Word on Jesus Christ, Who is the Rock, they will get through the hard times that are coming in their future. They will get through them because Jesus Christ is the Rock, and they are going to build their house on the Rock.
May God bless Zak and Elizabeth from this day forward. May they shine for Him as one flesh. May that be carried on into all eternity. May they bring glory to the Lord Jesus Christ."

Klein family singing "Love"

Love is patient, love is kind

No eyes of envy, true love is blind

Love is humble, it knows no pride

No selfish motives hidden inside

Love is gentle, makes no demands

Despite all wrong, true love still stands

Love is holy, love is pure

It lasts forever, it will endure

Love knows when to let go

Love knows when to say no

Love grows in the light of the Son

And love shows the world that the Son of Love has come

Love is loyal, believes the best

It loves the truth; love stands the test

Love is God sending His Son

Love forgives all we have done

Love knows when to let go

Love knows when to say no

Love grows in the light of the Son

And love shows the world that the Son of Love has come

In this world where hatred seems to grow

True love goes against the flow

And becomes so hard to show

In this world, where push turns into shove

We have strength to rise above

Through the power of His love

Lord we need to know the power of Your love

Love knows when to let go

Love knows when to say no

Love grows in the light of the Son

And love shows the world that the Son of Love has come

Bale family singing "The Love of God"

The Love of God is greater far

Than tongue or pen can ever tell;

It goes beyond the highest star

And reaches to the lowest hell.

The guilty pair, bowed down with care

God gave His Son to win;

His erring child He reconciled

And pardoned from his sin.

O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure,

The saints and angels song.

When hoary time shall pass away

And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall;

When men who here refuse to pray

On rocks and hills and mountains call,

God's love, so sure, shall still endure,

All measureless and strong;

Redeeming grace to Adam's race,

The saints and angels song.

O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure,

The saints and angels song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,

And were the skies of parchment made,

Were every stalk on earth a quill,

And every man a scribe by trade,

To write the love of God above

Would drain the ocean dry,

Nor could the scroll contain the whole,

Though stretched from sky to sky!

O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure,

The saints and angels song.

For the last verse and chorus, both families sang in Romanian

Iubirea Lui e mult prea mare,

În vorbe simple să o descrii.

Mai sus de orice stea răsare,

Şi în adâncimi o poţi găsi.

Înaintea Lui când vii şi Îi spui

Păcatul tău murdar,

El, prin Isus, îţi dă de sus

Scăpare, în al Său har.

Iubire sfântă şi bogată,

Tu ne rămâi mereu

Cântarea noastră minunată,

În veci lui Dumnezeu!

Zak and Beth sharing their story (you can read it here)

A mutual friend from the Madison area, Dave,
shared about the importance of vows, and officiated

"I, Zachary, before God and these witnesses, take you, my dear Elizabeth, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish according to God’s holy and beautiful will. And so I pledge to you my love, and faithfulness, and I give myself to you as your husband."

"I, Elizabeth, before God and these witnesses, take you, my dear Zachary, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish according to God’s holy and wonderful will. And so I pledge to you my love, and faithfulness, and I give myself to you as your wife."

The new couple sang "Joy in the Journey"

There is a joy in the journey

There's a light we can love on the way

There is a wonder and wildness to life

And freedom for those who obey

And all those who seek it shall find it

A pardon for all those who believe

A hope for the hopeless and sight for the blind

And to all who've been born of the Spirit

And who share incarnation with Him

Who belong to eternity, stranded in time

And weary of struggling with sin

Forget not the hope that's before you

And never stop counting the cost

Remember the hopelessness when you were lost

There is a joy in the journey

There's a light we can love on the way

There is a wonder and wildness to life

And freedom for those who obey

In their excitement they forgot the words for a moment :)

Patrick Clough from Saint Louis, whose family hosted Beth in May

Matthew 13:45-46 

“…the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”

"...Zak and Beth, this reminds me of the two of you. I think you both have some firsthand knowledge of what the merchant in this parable must have felt. You both come from families that taught you, not only to value the Lord, which is most important, but also to value people, especially Christian fellowship. You both have been walking with the Lord Jesus for a number of years, you’ve served Him in various places, in various capacities, and you’ve seen some of life in your time. You’ve seen the everyday pearls of the world. But you also know what a good one looks like. Both of you entered this relationship knowing exactly what you were looking for. I know there were long afternoons and evenings spent on the phone, on my front porch, in the living room, other places, going over all the qualities of the pearl that you had found one another. The result - here we are today! Today is evidence that you have found, both of you, the pearl of great value."

"...Zak and Beth, in a sense, you are this day selling everything you have, to commit to the other. You’re saying you recognize the great value that is to be had in one another. So many marriages struggle today because they don’t see their marriage as a beautiful pearl which takes effort to secure. The man in this parable old all that he had. Action was required.

"...A good marriage isn’t based on chemistry. It’s not even based on trust, though that’s important. The Bible teaches it’s not even based on love for one another. It’s based on the desire of two individuals to love, serve, and honor the Lord Jesus Christ for the rest of their lives. And as a result of that love for the Lord Jesus, there will be trust, there will be chemistry, and oh yes, there will be love."

"We see that God’s Word, the Bible, has a lot of keys in it for a good marriage. But it also has a lot of keys to everything in it. We’re here today to celebrate the pearl of great price, that Zak and Beth found in each other, but that’s not the end of the parable that we read.

"You and I are the pearl. The merchant Who sold all to buy the pearl is none other than Jesus Christ. I can tell you right now, I don’t often look feel like a beautiful pearl. And I know I don’t look like one. I mess up, I make mistakes, you could even say that I sin against God Who created me. Maybe you would say today, 'Yep, me too. I am not worthy to be a beautiful pearl purchased by Him.' The bad news today for me, for you, is that there is some truth to that. The Bible teaches that we’ve all offended God with our sinful nature, and that we’ve fallen short of the standard that He requires of us. In Romans 3 we are told that 'all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.'

"That’s the bad news. But this is a wedding - we want some good news. And here it is: that today in God’s mercy and love, He does not leave us without hope. Even though you and I have blown it many times, even though we have a sinful nature, you and I are valuable to God. Even when we ignore, or even mock Him. Friends, the good news is that He still loves us. Don’t take my word for it. Hear what kind of love God has for you, from His Word. 'For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet perhaps for a good man, some would even dare to die; But God demonstrates His own love to us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:6, 8).'

"In this story, we’re not told the pearl was perfect, but all pearls have value. Christ wants you to come to Him, in your imperfection, because perfection is not what’s required to be accepted by the Lord. What’s required is a willingness to repent of your sins, ask the Lord for forgiveness, and live each day recognizing the price He paid for you. What was that price? 

"What did the Lord do to purchase you? He did what the merchant is this parable did - He sold all. He sacrificed Himself, He gave up His place at the right hand of God, He made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and came in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:6-8). That was the price He paid, to purchase you and I. Why would He do that? He did that because you are a valuable, valuable pearl to Him. 

"In this parable, the transaction of buying the field was an act of joy. Can you imagine the excitement the merchant must have had, as he went and laid down everything he had, to get this pearl that he had finally found? The Lord Jesus made this transaction joyfully. Hebrews 12 tells us, 'for the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.' 

"What a gift we have been given! Like any gift, we did nothing to earn it. Just like Zak and Beth didn’t earn one another today - they are a gift from God to each other. Likewise, we don’t earn the right to be bought by the Lord. No amount of good deeds, good works, are going to give us favor with God. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, 'For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast.'

"The Lord loves you, He wants you, and He’s been seeking you as a pearl of great price. Wouldn’t it be cool if today, you made the transaction, and turned your life over to Jesus Christ?"

Ray,  a mutual friend from Saint Louis

"When I first got to know Zak, there was a little discussion about young people getting married. And so from that day on, I prayed for Zak, to be led to the young woman who was the Lord’s choice. So today I can say before I pray, a prayer already has been answered."

Father, You are a great God, a good God, and truly the only God we can know. You were glorified in this ceremony today, and we thank You for that. I thank you for each family that is here today, and all the friends who have witnessed these vows made here. I praise You for the fact that You have led Zak and Elizabeth to come to know each other. I praise You for their testimony. As they go from this place, I pray that they will be a light in a sinning world, as was and is our Lord Jesus Christ, and I pray that they will be witnesses to everyone they meet as they journey, through this country and through their life. May the Lord Jesus Christ be praised. Amen.

Leaving, while the congregation sings
All The Way My Savior Leads Me

    
All the way my Savior leads me,

    What have I to ask beside?

    Can I doubt His tender mercy,

    Who through life has been my Guide?

    Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort,

    Here by faith in Him to dwell!

    For I know, whate’er befall me,

    Jesus doeth all things well;

    For I know, whate’er befall me,

    Jesus doeth all things well.

    All the way my Savior leads me,

    Cheers each winding path I tread,

    Gives me grace for every trial,

    Feeds me with the living Bread.

    Though my weary steps may falter

    And my soul athirst may be,

    Gushing from the Rock before me,

    Lo! A spring of joy I see;

    Gushing from the Rock before me,

    Lo! A spring of joy I see.

    All the way my Savior leads me,

    Oh, the fullness of His love!

    Perfect rest to me is promised

    In my Father’s house above.

    When my spirit, clothed immortal,

    Wings its flight to realms of day

    This my song through endless ages:

    Jesus led me all the way;

    This my song through endless ages:

    Jesus led me all the way.

 

 

An ecstatic Mr. and Mrs. Zachary Klein!

Last post will be photos from the reception!