Several years ago I was with a couple in my office when I heard a knock on my door. I was surprised. It was late on a Sunday afternoon and no one was at the church but the couple and myself. The lights in the reception area were off and I certainly wasn’t expecting anyone.
When I opened the door, there stood a couple I had never seen before. He was tall and muscular. She was petite, fair and beautiful. She said slowly, “We’re sorry to bother you, but we were going to get married at another church. We’ve already sent out our invitations. And the church called and said they had made a mistake and they don’t do weddings on Labor Day weekend. So, here we are a month away and we don’t have a church.”
Immediately, I said, “You have a church and you have a preacher. Have a seat and as soon as I’m finished here, we’ll sit down and plan your wedding.”
Bryan was “the strong, silent type.” He was likeable, but a bit shy and it was hard to get him to say much. Anu Katriina was from Denmark, absolutely charming and with classic Scandinavian features – blue eyes and blond hair and every bit as beautiful on the inside as she was outside.
Try as I might, as I met with the couple, I could hardly get him to say more than a few words at a time. She was so effusive about her love for him. His love was obvious but it seemed hard for him to express it.
When the day of the wedding came, I prayed with the groom and we entered the sanctuary and took our place at the altar. His groomsmen followed. And then the bridesmaids.
Finally, the doors opened and in walked the woman he loved, clothed in white, her face glowing, looking like a fairy tale princess.
And I’ll never forget it. This big, strong, quiet man next to me — he caught his breath, his knees buckled just a bit and I heard him whisper quietly, “Ooooh.”
That’s the kind of bride the Father wants for his Son. And that’s the kind of church Jesus deserves. One that will take his breath away. One that is pure and holy, without spot, wrinkle or blemish.
Renfroe
Rob Renfroe has been the President and Publisher of Good News since 2009. He has been involved in United Methodist renewal and reform for many years, having served as the President of the Board of Directors of The Confessing Movement before taking the leadership role at Good News. Rob is also the pastor of adult discipleship at The Woodlands United Methodist Church in The Woodlands, Texas.