It's Mother's Day - It starts with a wedding
- LOGOI
- 15 hours ago
- 4 min read
I recently attended a rather non-traditional wedding where the family tree, as they say, had extra branches. Both the bride and groom came from blended families so two sets of moms and dads participated in the ceremony.
During the ceremony, her mom and her stepmom walked down the aisle and took their seats. When we stood as the bride made her entrance, her “second dad” walked her halfway down the aisle and handed her off to her birth dad. The two dads paused, embraced each other, and then her birth dad proudly escorted her down the rest of the aisle to the groom. It was a tender moment as the bride, groom, and both sets of parents did their best to hold back the tears without success.
It was not a “Christian wedding” as we might say it, with traditional vows and prayers asking for God’s blessing and leading. It was sweet, tender and short — the best kind of service. As I watched the handsome couple in their late twenties beam with love, I prayed for God’s blessing on them and even more, that Jesus would draw them to Himself.
Working in a ministry like LOGOI, we are constantly reminded of God’s work in someone’s life. Sometimes He knocks quietly at our door (Revelation 3:20). Sometimes He transforms a weak and timid person into a brave and strong warrior (see Gideon), and other times, He’ll just knock you off your horse with a bolt of lightning (see Acts 9: 1-9).
Perhaps like your family, many of our National Missionaries came from Christian homes where they discovered Jesus as children or young adults — often because Mom is a believer. Others didn’t come to Christ until they were adults or until they were “seasoned citizens.” All of our journeys are a bit different so as I watched the service I thought of Jesus’ promise: “This is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those He has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day” (see John 6:35-39).
I learned the bride’s mother was a teenage mom who had her daughter when she was just sixteen. They married, but the marriage didn’t last and then a second marriage also failed. Like all moms, she poured all of her love and time into her daughter. I overheard her telling family and friends that while her journey was difficult, watching her daughter get married demonstrated how every tear was worth the struggle.
I couldn’t help but admire her. No doubt there were those who suggested she should terminate the pregnancy. But she had her baby and held on tight. A mom’s love and sacrifice for children begin long before we even show up in this world. As I thought of her sacrifice, I thought of Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.”
Something else the Mother of the Bride said to a small group made me think of one of our national missionaries. She was explaining how while it wasn’t easy, she would not let bitterness affect her life. So both her ex’s had remained friends, involved in their lives, and loved her daughter.
Her comments reminded me of one of our National Missionaries, Beatriz Valdés. She was our “National Missionary of the Month” back in June of 2020. She suffered through a devastating divorce which left her “lonely, confused, and bitter.” She said it took years to overcome but in her case, the soft knock from Jesus turned her bitterness to joy. “I am accepted and unconditionally loved by God and purchased by the blood of Jesus,” she told us with a huge smile, “How can I not be filled with peace and love?”
When it came to “Who gives this bride to this man,” a small chorus broke out from both sets of parents and all the siblings as they yelled, “We do!” The audience laughed but it was true; her large blended family was, in fact, joyfully “giving her” to this man.
We are a lot like all the family members who are yelling, “We do.” As your prayers and financial gifts help national missionaries proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ, we get to stand in attendance and joyfully witness the work of Jesus claiming those the Father has given him (John 6). Imagine being in the crowd when asked, “Who joins in celebrating this child being brought to a saving faith in Jesus Christ?” “We do!” we get to yell.
I don’t know if the Mother of the Bride in this story knows Jesus. Even so, her unconditional love and sacrifices for her daughter are a symbol of Christ’s love for us. Jesus gave everything for his children, including His very life, so that we might have life (see John 10:10).
Happy Mother’s Day to all you amazing moms. Thank you for your countless sacrifices, endless love, and for demonstrating Christ’s love for us.
Forever,
Ed Thompson
P.S. My mom married a widower with three boys at age nineteen. Everyone thought she was crazy. As she waited to walk down the aisle, her own mother was trying to talk her out of going through with it. I showed up a little over a year later and I’d just like to take a moment and say, “Thank you, Mom!” for walking down that aisle. Oh, and you really should read her story. You can find it here.
We love our Moms! Thank you for being an example of Christ’s love and sacrifice.
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