I can’t remember the exact circumstance that led up to Audrey to delivering the one-liner that will stick with our family for years to come.
It may have been my exclamation of dismay when, once again, I’d done all the things to make the house clean and inviting only to have my people twirl through, Tasmanian Devil style, distributing used coffee cups and water bottles on all the clean surfaces and shoes (so many shoes!) everywhere but in the closet.
Maybe it was my yelp of indignation as I caught an overpowering whiff of the unbelievably stinky but sweet dog named Murphy (aka Hairy Potato) who insists on following me around the house 24/7.
Perhaps it was my mostly-joking, yawning, “Why me?”, as, once again, I braved the cold, dark morning: pushing aside my warm, cozy nest of covers to slip bare feet onto icy floors, and then trodding downstairs, zombie-like, to cook a hot breakfast for a certain middle-schooler.
Whatever it was, Audrey piped in with wisdom for the ages: “ ‘I do’ comes with a price!”
It sure does, Audrey.
It sure does.
It has become a standard joke among the three of us and we quote it whenever the occasion presents itself (daily, if you’re wondering).
There’s a reality attached to this statement, though, isn’t there?
Marriage is amazing. There is such beauty in getting to do life with your very best friend.
There is also (in a healthy marriage) plenty of compromise.
I don’t get to live like I’m single anymore.
My day-to-day decisions directly affect other people.
They like to eat dinner. Every night.
My character and reputation are not my own.
My schedule is not my own.
I’m part of a family.
And sometimes I have to wait forever to use the bathroom on Sunday morning as all three of us scramble to get to church on time-ish.
And Ben, being the loving and selfless man that he is, compromises way more than his wife does!
He comes home after eleven hours of work and paints the shed he built for me in his “down time” so I’d have more space for all my Christmas decorations.
He always lets me pick the restaurant.
He blesses me by putting in long hours so I can stay home and clean up all the cups left on the counter and all of the shoes gracing the floor (kidding…mostly).
“I do” comes with a price.
And it’s so worth it.
I’ve been thinking about these words and how aptly they also apply to the “I do” we promise when we enter into relationship with God.
Eleven out of twelve disciples recommend reading your Bible before you sign up for following Jesus.
Just kidding!
All twelve do.
During my Bible study this week, I looked up all of the people in the Bible who were said to have “found favor” with God.
Noah is on that list, as are Job, Moses, Joseph, Abraham, Lot, David, Samuel, and Mary the mother of Jesus.
Bible superstars.
Not one of them had a life free from pain, suffering, or, in many cases, failure.
And when you get to the ones who actually, physically walked with Jesus?
Ridicule. Beatings. Imprisonment. Torturous execution.
“I do” comes with a price.
So, what does that look like today?
Is it worth the cost?
I would say that Christians in 2026 are actively ridiculed and despised by a large swath of the population.
Holding fast to the authority of the Bible isn’t popular these days, and standing for Biblical principles will almost certainly get you labelled as one “ist” or another.
It’s enough to make you pause before speaking (or posting) truth. You just know you’re asking for it.
Even from “Christians” whose ideologies align more with the world than the Word.
And that’s just in America. In other parts of the world, faith in Christ will get you excommunicated, jailed, or killed.
Why?
Because worshiping the One True God means you won’t worship the false ones, including any government or leader that demands its citizens’ total subjugation.
Saying “I do” to Jesus comes with a price.
So why follow Jesus when it will likely cost us our reputation, our friendships, and in some cases, our lives?
Because he‘s the Way, the Truth, and the Life:
Trusting in Jesus is the ONLY way to be forgiven of our sins.
God’s word is the ONLY truth that never changes and always leads us in the right direction.
The resurrection gives us assurance because Jesus’ is the ONLY life that conquered death and promises to do the same for us!
His disciples each went to their gruesome deaths because they refused to deny Jesus rose from the dead, proving he was God. Who do you know that would be willing to die for something they knew was a lie?
Nobody, right?
Right.
We enter into relationship with the God of the Universe because he loves us and was willing to go to great lengths to be in relationship with us! He gave up all the glory and worship of heaven to come to Earth, where he suffered and died in our place. All so we could be part of his family.
Pretty incredible.
Jesus thought “I do” was worth the price.
Thank God.
Ang
