Father of the Bride
Genesis 2:21-22
It really WAS a funny movie, and it was cheap, too! Thanksgiving afternoon and the family thought it would be “fun” to all go together to a movie. Especially good idea if Dad was paying! So, being the generous spoiler of kids that I am, I said I would take everyone to whatever movie they could agree on…at the Starship Theatre ($1.75 per person fell right into my price range ). It took no time at all for them to decide - “Father of the Bride!”
Now, for nearly 40 years one of my privileges as a “paid professional holy man” has been officiating weddings. Linda often says, “How can you just stand up there and pronounce them husband and wife and suddenly it’s ok for them to live together?” Good question. How?
One obvious lesson I have learned over these many ceremonies is this, weddings are for women! Moms have opinions, brides have STRONG opinions, grandmothers have opinions, and even AUNTS have frequently vocalized their opinions! But grooms and fathers tend to get lost somewhere along the way, they wimp out at the heavy planning stages. They just occasionally make a snarky comment or two so as to APPEAR to be engaged in the planning. But the reality is that the role of the father is to simply try to restrain the spending!
When I took the time to look back at the biblical history of weddings, I was quite amazed to see that the Father’s role was HUGE in the first marriage celebration and in many since. “So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man (groom-to-be)…then He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh at that place. And the Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man…AND BROUGHT HER TO THE MAN…” —Genesis 2:21-22. The “Father of the Bride” was all over it!
No one plays the bumbling, stumbling father role better than Steve Martin! As the movie begins to find its rhythm, my family became totally involved in the humor. But, me? I struggled to find anything entertaining about it! Steve Martin made perfect sense to me. You see, just six weeks prior to this family outing, I WAS the “father of the bride” as I gave in marriage my youngest daughter!
Not only was the Father personally and totally involved in the first wedding in history, He is playing a huge role in the preparation for the last one as well! “Hallelujah! For the Lord Our God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready!” —Revelation 19:6-7. He will be the ultimate “Father of the Bride!”
See you Sunday, Church!
Pastor Tom