With This Ring

I'll never forget when our photographer was taking a picture of our rings against my bouquet on our wedding day and he ironically said, "Smile." I think of that every time I see that picture. We did smile, and giggle at that.

Rings are an important part of the wedding ceremony. Some say the tradition dates back to the Egyptians thousands of years ago. Putting a ring on the finger to the right of the pinkie on the left hand is a tradition for Christians, some say, that dates back to the 9th century A.D. (and then only the wives ... men didn't start wearing them until the 1900's). That "ring finger" was selected because people believed a vein or artery ran straight from it to the heart. The ring's circular shape symbolized eternity. In some countries, married couples wear the ring on the right hand. And in Jewish weddings, the ring is on the index finger. From a biblical standpoint, the only engagement jewelry mentioned is the nose ring given to Rebekah when Isaac was to marry her. Praise God that isn't the wedding tradition we follow.

A wedding ring is a symbol of a covenant, something you see God using over and over again in the Bible: a rainbow for a promise, a star for new born King, bread and wine for redemption. How appropriate that weddings have a symbol as well.

Since it is a piece of jewelry you wear forever, it is fun to pick out a special one. We know that Rob got a wedding ring with Ayla's engagement ring, and that Ayla is currently searching for that perfect wedding ring for Rob. My wedding band is a ring of tiny diamonds. Brad always wanted rubies in his ring because he admired a ruby ring his Great Uncle Louie Zimanek wore. Inside Brad's ring, our wedding date and the sign language symbol for "I love you" is engraved. Brad can't get his ring off his finger after all these years, but I once got close and looked under to see if the engraving had wore off. It is still there.

On our 15th anniversary when Brad surprised me with a vow renewal ceremony, he had a ring given to me by my Grandma Elizabeth Swain repaired to use for the vows. It's a gold wedding band with diamonds and sapphires worn by my Great-Great Grandmother Matilda Cornwall. The band was hollow and cracked, so your Daddy had it filled and repaired. That ring will some day go to your first daughter. For our vow renewal, Daddy used Great Uncle Louie's ring that Great Aunt Sophie gave him after Louie passed away. That ring is the one your brother plans to use when he gets married. We put those rings on our right hands at our vow renewal ceremony and mine has been there ever since, sitting next to the white gold wedding band my father gave my mother back in 1963. So lots of tradition on these fingers.

There is one other wedding band I have. It's a size 6 very thin gold band. I bought it when I got pregnant with Ayla. My size 4½ rings were too small when I was pregnant, but I didn't want to go without a ring, so I wore the larger ring for both pregnancies. Daddy recited vows when putting it on me, it was that important.

Rings are material and symbolic. While their value is based on the metal they are made of and gems embedded, their spiritual value stems from the meaning we give them. A token of unending love, a sign of commitment, a promise for a lifetime. "With this ring, I thee wed,' the vows state. It serves as a symbol that the marriage is permanent. The exact words we used were, "This ring I give you, in token and pledge of our constant faith and abiding love." May your rings be a forever reminder of a forever love.

Discussion: Are there particular vows you would like to say when exchanging rings? What does a wedding ring mean to you?

Prayer: Father, we know that You used many symbols in sealing promises and we thank You for Your example. We pray we can look on our symbols as you do ... everlasting. In Jesus name, Amen.