“You wanna see what the room looks like?” Geoffrey asked. “The room” was the hotel room where my son was staying. Geoffrey was his best man and is his best friend.
I was a bit out of the loop. I thought I was going to be looking at a brochure of the Houston Marriott or something. What Geoffrey brought instead was a camera.
Off and on during this wedding day I had wondered what the heck Joel was up to. Why was he running behind? Why wasn’t he at the church when I thought he was supposed to be? Why were people calling, looking for him? What was so important?
I had showed up at the church about 4:45 – 15 minutes late myself. He was nowhere to be found. Getting the car washed, Geoffrey said.
Car washed! Photographer was waiting, people were wondering, and he? He was washing.
Now, some five hours later, that clean car has just left the building with the newlyweds on board. And Geoffrey is scrolling through the pictures on his camera. These weren’t publicity pics. They were the results of a groom’s labor to prepare a place – a special place – for his bride. I’ll spare you the details, but there were candles, rose petals, a picnic basket, and much more, I’m sure.
Instinctively, he knew a groom’s language of love. I have to admit, he knew it a heck of a lot better than I did 25 years ago. He knew that love means more than just preparing a place in the heart or the budget. He prepared a place for them to be together. And he knew he had one chance to get this right.
So he went away.
He prepared.
His leaving wasn’t a lack of love – it was an expression of it.
He prepared a means of transportation, and made sure it was worthy of the love of his life.
He prepared a place of union – a special place with special memories that she would remember the rest of her life. A place where she would feel his forever love.
Suddenly some other things made sense as well. When we picked him up at their new home before driving to Houston for the wedding, it just wouldn’t do until he vacuumed the carpet and made the rest of the house as spotless as he could. He wasn’t just leaving town. He was going to get his bride, and bringing her back there. He was preparing a place for her, so that where he was, there she could be with him.
It’s what grooms do.
It’s how they express love.
I was in a hurry to leave. He wouldn’t. Not until everything was just right. Never have the details of a man’s preparation to marry been executed with more thought, precision, and deliberate action. The gifts. The time together. The special things.
The place.
It’s the language of a groom’s love.
But what he did? That’s nothing compared to the preparation of a different Groom.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled,” Jesus said. “Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:1-3).
That’s groomspeak – a reflection of first-century wedding practices. And with all the passion of a man in love, our Bridegroom is preparing The Place.
The late Keith Green once talked about the place. He said that if it took God only six days to create the beauty we call the earth today, can you imagine what a garbage dump this must be compared to The Place he’s been working on for nearly 2,000 years?
Jesus knew that his leaving could be misunderstood by a sleepy, careless Bride. It isn’t a lack of love, but an expression of it. While we wait and wonder, he is working. Preparing The Place. Preparing the means of transportation. And make no mistake about it: While the Bride may be sleepy, or distracted, or at times wonder if He really cares, He is working with a vengeance. Preparing with exquisite detail. And anticipating the day the Father says, “Go get your Bride.”
And for those He has called in love, and who have responded to His offer, there will be no question when we see The Place – This Groom, this amazing Groom, knows His Bride intimately, and loves her eternally.
Until then, we wait. We prepare. We anticipate the day.
And we anticipate The Place.
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What a great post! I, too, was wondering what it looked like Joel would be late for his own wedding! But, when I found out what he had been up to, I fully understood that behind some of his gruff, impatient external attitudes he can be the most tenderhearted, kindest and caring person you’ll ever know.
It seems as he has gotten off to a good start with his marriage to Ashley and we are all thinking that he made a wise choice in her. She is definately welcome to the family.
Without a doubt our son as learned the character of God – the groom. He has learned that loving your wife is a priority and he learned it from you. You may not remember accurately though our wedding day and night. You too prepared for this bride. You wrote the most beautiful song and sang it to me on that special wedding day, you made sure that we were ready for our wonderful honeymoon trip, and you counted down the days til we wed with beautiful love letters everyday that I still cherish. You prepared my heart and your heart for our life together with words – wonderful expressive, loving words.
Our son has seen your love, a husbands love to a wife demonstrated over the past 25 years – many son’s never see that. You taught him well my love.
this might be my favorite of the year too.
carissas last blog post..Hither by thy help I’ve come
@Carissa – and I’m believing it will take on a whole new meaning to you very soon!