Sorry, I’ve now injected you with an earworm haven’t I? I bet even now you are singing it in your head with your very best Shirley Bassey impression… ‘Dimunds are ForeVERRRR’.
Diamonds are indeed one of the hardest, most enduring substances on earth, (although whether they will actually last forever, only God knows). They are not only highly valued as gemstones, with their clarity, cut and brilliant ability to scatter light, they are also used as cutting tools in a great number of industries. In fact the vast majority of diamonds mined today are used this way.
Anniversary Celebration
This week we are celebrating our parents Diamond Wedding Anniversary. To reach a 60th wedding anniversary is an amazing achievement, especially in today’s world. Like a diamond, a long lasting marriage is a rare and beautiful thing. That diamonds are also symbols of endurance and resilience is also apt. Marriage needs those too!
Now I’ve had a ringside seat to much of my parents’ marriage. I can tell you that it has not all been romance and roses. It has taken hard work, endurance and patience. It has involved forgiveness, self-sacrifice and compromise. It has also been an amazing example of love, faithfulness and devotion. Towards each other, to their ever growing family, to their friends, to those in need – and most importantly, to God. Their marriage has lasted because God brought them together and God has kept them together. And I for one, am extremely grateful for that. My family and I have the privilege of living in that amazing legacy.
I read somewhere that diamonds are ‘symbols of purity, unity, love, wealth and abundance’. How fitting then to be used in reference to a long lasting marriage -both are priceless gems that have stood the test of time.
Diamonds in the Bible
For the purpose of this blog I researched if diamonds were mentioned in the Bible and found, interestingly, that there is some division of opinion. Different words have been translated as ‘diamond’ in different translations. There is the reference in Exodus 39:11 to one of the twelve stones on the High Priest’s breastplate that represented the tribes of Israel. There is the obscure reference to hearts as hard as ‘really hard gemstones’ in Zechariah 7:12, that some have translated as diamonds. I have read some commentators that believe the sea of crystal glass that John described seeing before the Throne of God in Revelation 4:6, is actually made of diamonds. If so – diamonds will be forever, I suppose!
Diamonds forever
I think the most important thing here is to recognise that for anything to have true lasting worth it has to be given over to God. God can take a marriage full of human frailty and make it into a monument to His goodness and faithfulness. The true worth of a diamond only comes in it’s cutting and shaping. God can take any one of us – like uncut pieces of rock mined from the earth – and through His work in us, cutting, shaping, forming, polishing – make our lives into something pure, valuable and beautiful. And our lives, formed and shaped by Him, will indeed last forever, to shine and reflect His glory for eternity.
Joy Margetts is a published author and blogger. Her books are works of Christian Historical fiction. Set in medieval Wales against the backdrop of Cistercian abbey life, they tell stories of faith, hope and God’s redemptive power. Her debut novel ‘The Healing‘ was published by Instant Apostle on 19 March 2021. Joy has also self- published a short novella, ‘The Beloved‘ as both a companion to ‘The Healing‘, and as an easy to read standalone story, which is available to buy on Amazon Kindle.
‘The Pilgrim‘, her second full length novel, was published by Instant Apostle on 22 July 2022
More information on Joy, and her books can be found here www.joymargetts.com