Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace

If you've ever been to an old fashioned wedding, you have probably heard the wedding officiant tell the attendees, "If anyone objects to this marriage, please speak now or forever hold your peace." The origin of this statement is said to come from Medieval Times when communication wasn't what it is today. At that time, it was possible that someone in the crowd would know that the bride or groom was already married, or even worse, possibly related...(imagine how awkward that would be). In our modern world, many movies and TV's shows have featured this as a part of the wedding ceremony, often very dramatically. In the movie Shrek, there's a famous scene of Shrek running down the aisle to stop Lord Farquaad from marrying Princess Fiona. It was Shrek's last chance to let the truth be known. He loved Princess Fiona, and he wanted her to know she should marry him instead.

God doesn't want us to wait until the last minute to speak up on behalf of Him. In 2 Timothy 2:16-17, Paul writes to Timothy, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." Taking it a step further, James 1:22 reminds us, "Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."

The devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but Jesus comes to provide, create, and make new. Far too often does evil take root in our society with Christians standing on the sidelines watching the clouds go by. As the scripture says, we are trained in righteousness by studying and adhering to the scriptures of God, who breathed His life into scripture and into the teachings of His son Jesus Christ. Unlike a wedding ceremony, the consequences of failing to speak up in the name of Jesus Christ won't allow you any peace. Before we speak up, we must know the truth. As Jesus told the Jews in John 8:31-32, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

-Jacob

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