October 21, 2017 (Saturday)
This evening at 6:30 p.m. I will conduct a wedding ceremony for Sarah Portman and my grandson, Alex Hamm. It willl take place in a beautiful room at the J. W. Marriott Houston Downtown Hotel.
You know, I miss Wanda most at occasions like this one. How she would have enjoyed the weddings of her grandchildren.
This is the third wedding I will have conducted for my grandchildren. The first was in 2005 for Melinda Fake and John Hodges. The couple now lives in Kyle, Texas. They have no children. Their ceremony took place in Pearland, Texas, at the First United Methodist Church. The second was in 2007 for Jennifer Fake and Stephen Haden. They have one child, 3 years old. Her name is Claire Kala. Their ceremony took place in League City, Texas, at Centurion Palace, a special place designed for weddings. After the wedding this weekend, six more grandchildren will be eligible for marriage.
Jesus referred to weddings as illustrations of the joy that comes by knowing and serving God. Back then, weddings went on for days, and the newly married couple were given a lot of time after the wedding to be alone with each other and get ready to settle down. Jesus went to weddings and actually performed his first public miracle at a wedding.
Jesus wants us to think of weddings when we think of Him. He wants us to be happy in our faith. Remember the chorus about joy we learned as children? “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart to stay!” Remember the announcement of Jesus’ birth by the angels? “I bring you good news of great joy!”
But was not Jesus “a man of sorrows?” Yes, but please read Hebrews 12:2 which praises Jesus, “who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” For the joy! Praise the Lord. “Joy to the world, the Lord has come!” He’s the bridegroom. His church is the bride. Come to the wedding! Come to Jesus!