Gaining A Son

This post was originally made on April 27, 2010 and it is reproduced here as a reminder to myself as well as a friend who is about to give his first daughter away.

Having walked my daughter down the aisle, I was asked during the wedding lunch how I felt and I remembered telling my friends that it was a mixture of three emotions;

1. Relief as the important day had finally come after almost one year of planning;
2. Sadness as she will be emigrating to live in Birmingham, UK where my son-in-grace works and reside (for the time being);

3. Joy as I know she will be in good hands having picked a man whom she loves and who is a Child of Christ.

Of course, as I turned the corner and proceeded down the centre of the Chamber, my thoughts went to what I would be saving to my son-in-grace as I place my daughter's hand into his at the altar.

Nobody knew what I had planned to say to him - not even my wife - as I wanted to give it to him as a surprise and so I had been allowing the 'speech' simmer in my mind the entire week (we had a rehearsal on Monday March 29).

And so when Pastor Mathews asked me whether I had anything to say to Joshua as I handed my daughter's hand over to him in marriage, my greatest moment had arrived.

With moist eyes from a joyous attitude, I turned to Joshua and told him,
"On behalf of Aunty Alice and I, I entrust this treasure in earthen vessel to you.
Take this jewel and love her, cherish and encourage her and together, build your house in the Lord.
Today your parents receives a daughter and we have gained a son".


Now I understand how God the Father must have felt when He became Father of the Bride (the Church) and the Father of the Groom (our Lord Jesus Christ) all at the same time - such joy and love. No wonder our Lord Jesus performed His first miracle at a wedding He was invited to and He blessed them over and above all that they could ever imagine.