CHRISTMASTIDE: Day 4: Weddings

“Thank you for raising the woman that we have prayed for our son to marry since the day he was born.”

I love these words. They always make me tear up. They were spoken to us by our sweet son-in-laws parents on the night of the rehearsal dinner in 2019 and I heard them again last night. One of our beloved nieces is getting married today to an amazing, God loving, fun man of integrity. We are so thankful he will be part of our family. Her future father – in- law spoke those words of gratitude to her parents before we enjoyed the pre-wedding meal. What I also know to be true is that the brides parents have also prayed for the man that their daughter would marry – since the day she was born.

To have the privilege of attending an event that has literally been prayed over for almost 30 years – well – thats a gigantic reason to celebrate. 30 years of communicating heart desires to a God that listens. 30 years of trusting the twists and turns of life of ones child in the hands of their maker. As I prepare to take in all the joy that a wedding day brings I can imagine that God and his angels are doing the same. I can picture them pulling up chairs, grabbing some tissue and readying themselves for the reward that comes when humans on earth enjoy the answers to lifetimes of prayer. I imagine God’s gratitude for the parents that prayed and the people that supported them in those prayers. His people have asked and waited and asked and waited some more and asked…. and God was so good to answer. He always is.

As we head into the end of this year and a page turn to the next – I know many of us are in the middle of some deep prayers for people we love. Many of us feel God’s answers were wrong. Many of us believe his timing is off. Many of us are finding it hard to find reasons to celebrate. And to this I say….

Keep on.

Keep Asking.

Keep seeking.

Boldly kneel at the feet of the one who can give understanding to your situation, patience in the timing, and eyes to see the answers that may be right in front of you. He will never grow weary of our requests and longs to hear your heart cries.

“Lord, in my place of weakness and need, I ask again: Will you come and help me? I know I’m always in your thoughts. You are my true Savior and hero, so don’t delay to deliver me now, for you are my God.” Psalm 40:17

When this drops on Monday morning the wedding celebration will be a memory. The weeks of preparation and the years of praying all wrapped up in this single day of joy. The guests will travel home, the decorations packed in boxes, the leftover food stored in ziplock bags in the refrigerators of family that live close. The happy couple will continue their life journey -together. I can guarantee that they both would say- it was worth the wait. I can promise that they are incredibly grateful for parents that never stopped trusting God with their lives and their future spouses lives.

What is your…. “I have prayed for this since……” statement? What are you continuing to wait for God to answer? What answer can you find to celebrate… today? Who in your life needs the reminder that God is faithful and their prayers are still being heard?

Prayer – the invitation to seek God’s presence on any day at any time. This beautiful, important, life changing gift… I remember its power today….

and rejoice.