“Are you going to the wedding, Mr. Albert?” asked a
Christian friend.
“Yes, I would like to,” Mr. Albert answered. “I have a Bible and craft class this afternoon, but if we leave as soon as it’s over, we should be able to get there
in time.”
Later that afternoon Mr. Albert said to two Christian friends, “As soon as class is over, we can jump into the jeep and head across town.” Mr. Albert did not worry about what he would wear to the wedding, because he had often been to weddings in South America, and hardly anyone except the bride and groom got dressed up. Everyone else had to wear whatever they had, as they were often poor. That was fine with Mr. Albert, because when he went to visit in South America, he did not even take a suit or a tie.
Soon the class was over. Mr. Albert called out, “Let’s go,” and the three friends drove across town, to be on time for the wedding. They found the right place for the wedding, but to their surprise no one was there. The place was locked.
Mr. Albert chuckled to himself: How could he have forgotten? He should have remembered that his friends in South America didn’t pay attention to the time. No one really expected you to be there at the stated time.
“Well,” he said, “let’s find some place where we can have a little supper.” So the three friends went to a restaurant and had some hot milk, rolls and yogurt.
When they were finished, they went back to the building where the wedding was to be held. Now there were two teenagers there. They were both dressed in nice suits with ties and shiny shoes. It was a cold evening with a misty rain falling, and since no one else was there yet, Mr. Albert said to the two boys, “There’s a nice place down the road here that serves hot milk and rolls. Would you like some?”
“Sure,” they replied. So they all went back to the restaurant for more hot milk, rolls and yogurt, and they stayed there having a happy time for about half an hour.
Finally someone said, “We’d better get back and see if the wedding has started!”
Only three more guests had arrived. Strangely, each one was wearing a suit. Still, Mr. Albert didn’t think much about his own clothes. But more and more guests began to arrive. All of the ladies had on lovely dresses and the men were wearing nice white shirts, suits and ties, and shoes that were polished and shiny. Mr. Albert looked down at his own clothes. They hadn’t seemed so bad when he left the craft class in a hurry, but now his work pants looked wrinkled and dusty ... and he had no tie ... and his shoes — why hadn’t he thought to polish them?
Finally, all 200 guests had arrived. All of them were dressed in nice clothes ... all but two that is. Mr. Albert and the friend who had left the craft class with him in such a hurry were both in work clothes that looked like they needed to be washed.
Suddenly Mr. Albert knew that he couldn’t stay inside for the wedding. He felt too uncomfortable. “Let’s get out of here!” he said to his friend. His friend must have felt the same way, because he left with Mr. Albert, and they both went around to watch the wedding through a window.
Finally, the bride arrived in a beautiful white dress. She was about 1½ hours late — late for her own wedding! But it didn’t matter because most people had been late, and there was still plenty of time in the evening for the wedding.
Mr. Albert had been uncomfortable among the others at the wedding when he and his friend were the only ones not dressed up. He had never noticed how dirty his shoes were until then! This reminds me of a day that is coming soon. Someday, all of us will have to stand in the presence of a God who is light “and in Him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:55This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5)). The Bible says that “then every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:1212So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. (Romans 14:12)).
If you know you would feel uncomfortable there because you are a sinner, then let me tell you the good news. The same God who knows all about us and every sin each of us has done also loves us. He has made the way for us to have all our sins washed away so that we can be clean and happy standing before Him. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever [believes] in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)). “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son [cleanses] us from all sin” (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)).
It had not mattered if everyone was late to that wedding, but it is very important not to be late in accepting the Lord Jesus as your Savior. Someday the door of salvation will be closed forever to those who have not come to Jesus.
Messages of God’s Love 3/31/2024