The Weapon Of Our Warfare

My friend Joe got married yesterday.

I had the privilege of being able to attend, it was a beautiful service. Having been to quite a few weddings in the previous twelve months, Joe and Jessica had organised a wedding service that would have managed to surprise even the most experienced wedding crasher.

The service took place in a church in central London that had been standing for over 300 years. Sure, things had been amended inside due to repairs required over the years, but there was a sense of history that hit you as you walked through the doors.

The music and singing was great, and there was something absolutely revolutionary that in central London on a Saturday afternoon, where most other people are out worshipping at the altars of high street shops, football grounds or entertainment, a bunch of people were chosing to focus on someone bigger than themselves.

It was also great to see some old friends at the service and to catch up.

I'd been to a wedding where the bride and groom had taken communion after the vows, but the whole congregation shared in the eucharist yesterday afternoon. It seems such an obvious and simple thing to do, but it put the focus for me back on the most outstanding act of love and sacrifice in history. Joe and Jessica have it sussed that their love is possible because of a bigger act of love on Jesus's behalf.

One of the stained glass windows of the church contained a picture of a shield with a number of symbols on it. I couldn't make them all out, so the full significance was probably lost on me. But I was struck by the sentence underneath it.

It read: The weapon of our warfare.

My first glance was to see it negatively, but as I watched and listened to Joe and Jessica make their commitment to each under under that slogan, I came to a renewed realisation.

The weapon we have is love.

And I wondered if I was more effective at loving people, what difference would that make to the battles and warfare I encounter on a daily basis. The answer that resounded in my head was a simple and obvious one. A lot.

And if all of us committed to wield love and grace rather than weapons of hate, it could change the world.