Wedding Invitation

“April Showers Bring May Flowers”.

Has there been a truer statement this year? I know many of us began to jokingly ask, “is Spring ever going to get here?” Certainly, the last few days of warmth and sun have been marvelous, but Mr. Winter is not quite done, the cold is not gone for long.

The longer proverb is “March winds and April showers bring forth May flowers”. I like that. By the way, the saying, “April showers bring May flowers”, originates from the United Kingdom, where April for them is one of the soggier months.

I think, unless you have severe allergies, everyone must love this time of year. Soon it will be June and the flowers and trees will be in full bloom, and we will be running around, trying to keep everything watered and alive under a hot southern Oregon sun. I love it.

June, the month of love.

Although married in January in the judge’s chambers, Wendell and I would celebrate with a reception in June; June 26 to be precise. I had planned a June 26 wedding, but we had started going to church together and I decided June was too far off.

Do you know why June is the most popular month for weddings? In many regards, it’s tradition, but why? I have a couple of answers, neither great.

First, and according to almanac dot com, the goddess Juno, for whom June is named, was the protector of women in all aspects of life, but especially in marriage and childbearing, so a wedding in Juno’s month was considered most auspicious.

Second, you may have heard, as did I, that most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May and still smelled somewhat good. That, as far as I can see, is not true. The simple fact is, June was a good time to take advantage of good, as well as fresh flowers for the ceremony and celebrations.

By the way, according to tradition, only an unmarried woman could be a maid of honor, and only the brother, best friend, or father of the groom could be the best man. The original purpose of the bridesmaid and the best man was to aid in the capture of the bride, get her to church on time, and keep any hostile family members away! And, being given away is a tradition that evolved from the days when men bought, as in purchased, brides from fathers or, even worse, captured them! (Source: almanac . com)

Whether thousands of years ago or last week, there is much thought and planning that goes into a wedding.

My desk calendar this morning reads:

“Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters, and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. Let’s rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has prepared herself.” Revelation 19:6-7 NASB

That got me to thinking...there is much thought and planning that goes into a wedding. The bride must prepare herself. The groom must prepare himself. The room must be made ready. The invitations must have been sent.

“Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the lamb.’” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” Revelation 19:9

Do you have your invitation? Have you been invited to the wedding?

There is a wonderful illustration of “the” wedding feast” in Matthew 22.

Jesus again used parables in talking to the people. “The Kingdom of heaven is like this. Once there was a king who prepared a wedding feast for his son. He sent his servants to tell the invited guests to come to the feast, but they did not want to come.

So he sent other servants with this message for the guests: ‘My feast is ready now; my steers and prize calves have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast!’ But the invited guests paid no attention and went about their business: one went to his farm, another to his store, while others grabbed the servants, beat them, and killed them.

The king was very angry; so he sent his soldiers, who killed those murderers and burned down their city. Then he called his servants and said to them, ‘My wedding feast is ready, but the people I invited did not deserve it. Now go to the main streets and invite to the feast as many people as you find.’ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, good and bad alike; and the wedding hall was filled with people.

The king went in to look at the guests and saw a man who was not wearing wedding clothes. ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ the king asked him. But the man said nothing. Then the king told the servants, ‘Tie him up hand and foot, and throw him outside in the dark. There he will cry and gnash his teeth.’”

And Jesus concluded, “Many are invited, but few are chosen.” Matthew 21:1-14 GNT

Friend, you are invited. That is not the issue. The issue is, have you put on your wedding clothes? Have you taken the robe of righteousness so freely offered by Jesus Christ? Are you dressed in your best for the wedding ceremony? Are you chosen?

Every one of us is invited. The Lamb of God, the one slain to take away the sins of the world, He is the groom and is asking for your hand.

by Jeanette Stark – Wednesday, April 26, 2023