One look around our home and you can see quite clearly that things are different. Not bad or in some abnormal way, but with the addition of boxes. And before you start thinking we’re planning to move or ‘storing up treasures on earth,’ you need to know that since her graduation from college, our daughter has been waiting patiently to move on. And so ‘her stuff’ has begun to stack up, but you also need to know that for the last 6 months she has been looking forward to this day…November 17, 2018. Our daughter, my little girl will become the wife of Max Dalton Todd.
And so the ‘stuff’ I’m seeing around the house is thanks to so many dear friends and family who love our daughter and want to bless this young couple as they start life together. Therefore, since the late summer months, FedEx and the US Postal Service have been (almost on a daily basis) delivering dozens of boxes to our address. But this article is not about wedding gifts, or boxes or even the blessings that have been bestowed upon my daughter. As I write this, I’m thinking about marriage and the wedding of Emili and Dalton. WOW…give me a minute!
Perhaps I’m feeling this way because of the focus our God has given to marriage. He is our Creator and from the beginning of time…He instituted marriage (Genesis 2). So we would be wise to read His words on the matter. Let’s start by thinking about Ephesians 5 & I Corinthians 7, Paul is giving instruction to husbands and wives. Or the Hebrew writer, in chapter 13, as he writes through inspiration that we should honor marriage. But John’s vision in Revelation is the premise here as it ties together our relationship to marriage with our relationship to God. Read Revelation 19:7-9…
“Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah!For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be gladand give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come,and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean,was given her to wear.” Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”
As a matter of fact, read further in Revelation chapter 21 as John writes about the bride adorned for her husband (vs. 2), the words ‘…faithful and true’ (vs. 5) and the statement in verse 9 saying, “Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” We see the relationship between Christ and the church (His bride) and our parallel with marriage here in this life. So I write all this to simply quote the words of one of my favorite songs about Christ’s return as Keith Lancaster puts ‘the Wedding Day’ into true perspective. Because as the father of the bride I have to tell you…
“Lately I’ve been thinking as I look all around me. I see by the signs that we’re soon going to be leaving The bridegroom is coming to take us all away May be tomorrow, but I pray that it’s today
Chorus: And we will fly away in the twinkling of an eye Leaving all our heartaches and telling them all goodbye Yes we will fly away when he hears His Father say, “Jesus, go and get your bride, today’s your wedding day.”
Now when we see the bridegroom in the clouds in the sky Will he be telling you hello or telling you goodbye? Oh, be sure and be ready to meet Him face to face We’ve got to fight the good fight, we’ve got to keep our faith…”
Emili and Dalton…today’s your wedding day and your family and friends surround you in love. Hold fast to the message of God’s word and know that the relationship you are entering into is a ‘foretaste of rapture to come…’ (to quote another song.) And Emili, if the truth be known, I’m going to miss you and your boxes here at the house. Your mom and I love you both and are excited to see what God has in store for you and Dalton. Let me put my own personal spin to this song; “Lately I’ve been thinking as I look all around me, I see by the signs (the boxes) that you’re soon going to be leaving. Planned from the beginning, that’s what the scriptures say, I’ve known it was coming…can’t believe that it’s today!”
Not bad or in some abnormal way, but with the addition of boxes. And before you start thinking we’re planning to move or ‘storing up treasures on earth,’ you need to know that since her graduation from college, our daughter has been waiting patiently to move on. And so ‘her stuff’ has begun to stack up, but you also need to know that for the last 6 months she has been looking forward to this day…November 17, 2018. Our daughter, my little girl will become the wife of Max Dalton Todd.
that have been bestowed upon my daughter. As I write this, I’m thinking about marriage and the wedding of Emili and Dalton. WOW…give me a minute!
love. Hold fast to the message of God’s word and know that the relationship you are entering into is a ‘foretaste of rapture to come…’ (to quote another song.) And Emili, if the truth be known, I’m going to miss you and your boxes here at the house. Your mom and I love you both and are excited to see what God has in store for you and Dalton. Let me put my own personal spin to this song; “Lately I’ve been thinking as I look all around me, I see by the signs (the boxes) that you’re soon going to be leaving. Planned from the beginning, that’s what the scriptures say, I’ve known it was coming…can’t believe that it’s today!”