The Royal Wedding
by Alissa Picker
(originally shared at ALCF Women’s Conference 2011)
God displays His splendor in people He frees from the past,
transforms in the present, and outfits for eternity.
“I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with the garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”—Isaiah 61:10
Last April 29, I got up at 2 a.m. to watch the Royal Wedding. I saw Diana get married, and I wanted to watch this one, too. I anticipated that it would be a grand event and I was not disappointed! (To see the Royal Wedding photos, click here.)
Anticipation
Now we all know in the weeks and months leading up to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, that there was endless speculation about who would be invited, what music would be played, and which designer’s fancy hats would be worn. However, the big question was “What will the dress be like, and, would outside pressures be so great as to crush this tender green shoot of love and joy celebrated on that day?”
Why did so many witness the Royal Wedding? I believe God places within us the desire to see a commoner marry royalty because that is what will happen one day for followers of Jesus.
The Royal Wedding
As Kate came down the aisle, Prince William’s best man and brother, Prince Harry, sneaked a peak and saw the bride in her lovely white dress. Turning to Prince William he mouthed the words, “Wait til you see her!” Kate was prepared for the day. She was dressed for her bridegroom’s pleasure, though it brought unending pleasure to the nations as we watched. Indeed, when she came to stand next to Prince William, he got his first glimpse of her as they stood face to face and he said, “You look beautiful!” He was well pleased—delighted, in fact.
I imagine that this is how Jesus, our bridegroom, will feel when we are presented to Him in our clothes of righteousness that He laid down His life to give us!
When the ceremony was over, a bank of heralds blew their trumpets, and the royal couple exited Westminster Cathedral to the deafening peals of thousands of church bells, and the shouts of joy from the masses of people waiting outside. They took their carriage ride through London to Buckingham Palace. Once the couple was in the palace, all were anxiously anticipating when the couple would come out and satisfy the crowds with their first kiss. Eventually the doors pulled back, and Prince William escorted Kate onto the veranda. After they kissed twice to wild applause of the approving crowds, the wedding day was now complete.
The Invitation
However, another royal wedding will soon take place in the heavenlies—one to which we, as commoners, have been invited to participate in as the Bride of Christ. Deeply loved by royalty, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords invites us into eternal relationship with Him. Jesus is eager for us to one day walk down the aisle into His everlasting kingdom, to gaze at Him face to face, and to be unhindered forevermore by the effects of Adam’s fall—sin and death, fear and sorrow, or sickness and disease. He has prepared the most amazing wedding garments ever—His robes of righteousness—so that we may be that pure and spotless bride in the presence of God, the Father. All nations shall see and be amazed by His goodness and holiness and tremendous love, as crowds make their way to the new Jerusalem from all nations, and God’s people join Jesus on His holy mountain never to be separated again!
God offers us His Son in truly holy matrimony which no man can put asunder and even death cannot part. Will we, forsaking all others, be faithful unto Him?
Join WOW! (Women of Worth!) for their next fellowship on Saturday, May 5, 2012 at 10 AM with guest speaker Pastor Danielle Parish. For more information, visit www.alcf.net/women.
Alissa’s life is an example of how God sometimes refuses to uproot His carefully planted seedlings. Despite her own best efforts to leave, God has kept her planted in the 94303 zip code her entire life—first growing up on one side of the freeway (in Palo Alto), and then living out her adult life on the other (in East Palo Alto). After graduating from Stanford with a BA in Humanities-Comparative Literature (French and Italian), Alissa went on to pursue an MA in Counseling Psychology, and has been a licensed Marriage, Family Therapist (MFT) since 1999. Alissa has enjoyed the good places where the Lord has planted her: as one of the original founders of Bayshore Christian Ministries, as a wife to Norm for 24 years, as a mom to Skye (16) and John (11), as a member of ALCF since the Cubberley days 16 years ago.
The Christmas Table
by Bonnie DeMartini
The holidays evoke memories and images that fill us with joy, anticipation, sadness, and even despair. For many of us, just the thought of our childhood Christmas dinner tables produces an almost tangible flood of pictures, sounds, smells, and a tangled ball of emotions. Read more 
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by Normajean Hinders
“And when you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your transgressions”—Mark 11:25 (NASV).
Every year the stores seem to prepare for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays earlier and earlier. Our minds and hearts begin to prepare as well: we become focused on gifts for friends and family, on decorations, and on preparing goodies. In the song The Little Drummer Boy, the young shepherd looks to find a gift suitable to give to the Christ child at His birth. As this season unfolds, what gift could we give to the Baby King? Have you ever thought of honoring Jesus by giving the gift of forgiveness to someone in your family?
Forgiveness simply means to give up resentment or the desire to punish. It is a process that often goes hand-in-hand with grieving over the past and then putting it in God’s hands. When we do that, we can experience the freedom in Christ that our Father desires for us. Read more
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by Pastor Cora Harper
Pastor Cora Harper (photo: Gordon Kelly)
[Volume 4, Issue 4, Fall 2010]
We live in a culture that inundates us with studies and surveys about our physical and emotional health. While these areas of our lives are important, spiritual health is even more important for the believer’s well-being. When was the last time you surveyed your spiritual health? Read more
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by Naima Bridges
[Volume 4, Issue 3, Summer 2010]
Naima Bridges
Work/life balance is an all too familiar concept to those living in the Bay Area, but who really practices it? The demands that are placed upon us in our fast-paced society between working, commuting, and family obligations leave us little time to devote to our spiritual, emotional, and physical well being. Yet God expects us to take care of our most valuable resource: our bodies, “a temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor 6:19). Read more
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by Pastor Roy Tinklenberg
[Volume 4, Issue 1/2, Winter/Spring 2010]
Pastor Roy Tinklenburg (photo: Gordon Kelly)
Last Christmas, my family decided to take a road trip to Dallas. To make our life on the road a little easier, my wife, Esther, gave me a GPS (Global Positioning System) as an early Christmas present. What a handy gadget! Each time we came to a fork in the road, it would let us know if we had to stay to the right or veer to the left. And if we ever made a wrong turn, a soft, reassuring voice would simply say, “recalculating.” Read more
Navigating Our Way Through the Unexpected
by Karin Baker
[Volume 4, Issue 1/2, Winter/Spring 2010]
Karin Baker (photo: Gordon Kelly)
A traumatic or sudden change—a miscarriage, a layoff, a troubling health diagnosis, the absence of a mentor, or the death of a loved one—can deeply impact your world. It is a life-changing event. You may feel that the change does not make sense or even feel real. There are going to be days when you will ask why and may want answers. Read more
