Last Minute Invite (Dress Rehearsal, Part I)

At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ – Matthew 25: 1,6

“Ali,”* was only fifteen when his family arrived in the U. S. as refugees from the Middle East. His father, “Mosen,”* knew a fair amount of English, but his mother, “Nasrin,”* struggled with it. They also had a little girl, “Sophie,”* five years old, who understood some English and was picking it up quickly.

I was part of a group from our church who “adopted” this brave family and had the privilege of guiding them through their journey. At the same time, we experienced a little of their culture, too.

Over the next few years, the other members of the church group moved away, until I was the only one left. I continued to help Nasrin learn English and study for her citizenship exam, and whenever I came to their house, I got to see other members of the family as well. When all four of them became U.S. citizens, we all celebrated together.

I eventually became an honorary member of their family. Nasrin called me “Mom,” Sophie called me “Mama-Grand,” and the guys called me “Miss Ann.”

I saw the family move out of their bare-bones apartment to one slightly bigger, then to a modest house across the river in Indiana, and finally to a nicer house, where they live today.

Mosen was in the business of repairing cars, and after Ali graduated from high school, he decided to skip college and follow in his father’s footsteps. When Mosen asked him if he wanted to go to trade school, his reply was, “Why? You’ve already taught me everything I need to know.” Ali now owns his own car repair business in Louisville with seven employees working for him. Between not requiring appointments and charging much less than the competitors, business is booming. Ali recently made a down payment on a beautiful house on some prime property, and during a visit to his home country, Ali became engaged to a lovely woman and celebrated the betrothal with family there.

It seems at the ripe old age of twenty-two, Ali has achieved the American Dream.

Before I left to go up north for most of the summer, Ali and his mother kept asking when I would be back in town. They wanted to know, in order to set a date for the wedding when I would be sure to come. (I am, after all, the grandmother of the groom. 😉 ❤ ) Deeply touched, I told them, “Just let me know when you set the date, and I promise I will be there.”

I had been in northern Michigan for less than two weeks when I noticed I had missed a phone call from Ali. I sent him a text, asking him, “What’s up?” Of course, I already knew.

(Sort of.)

As expected, he texted back, “I wanted to invite you for my wedding …” Not as expected, he added, “… on the 23rd of this month. I just booked my hall now.”

“A week from today?!” I texted, thinking that had to be a typo or something …

Ali simply texted back, “Yes.”

Of course, my first thought was, No way! I asked if anyone had RSVP’d yet and was told they were calling and texting about 100 other guests the next day. Apparently, I was the first one to be invited. I told him I wasn’t sure, but I would let him know the next day.

I was astonished that they were expecting that many people to be able to drop everything and come to a wedding. But then I reminded myself that I am not a part of their culture, and maybe this is the way they do it. Most or all of the other guests were close by. Sure, they were American citizens now, but who says they can’t have a wedding according to their own traditions?

Suddenly one of Jesus’ parables came to mind, along with things I had learned about ancient Middle Eastern weddings.

In Jesus’ time, the groom would go and prepare a place for his bride, and when it was ready, he would come back for her. Until he came, the bridal party would watch and wait for his return. When he appeared, there would be a grand celebration before the bridegroom took his bride away to their new home.

In the parable five bridesmaids were wise and had their lamps full of oil to light the way to the banquet hall when the bridegroom came. The other five were foolish and hadn’t brought enough oil. When the groom was delayed, they ran out, left to buy more, and were locked out of the party.

Before His death Jesus told His followers that He was going to prepare a place for them – the Church being His bride. He used this parable to warn us to be prepared for His return. Missing out on His wedding feast – eternity in heaven – would be far worse than missing a party!

Ali had been preparing a home for his bride. The month before, he had gone to his home country to be officially betrothed, have the betrothal party there, and make legal arrangements for her to come to the U.S. Like the bridal party and guests in the parable, Ali’s family and friends in America knew a wedding was coming, they just didn’t know the exact date yet.

Now that I thought about it, I had known a wedding was coming, too … Duh.

Going to this wedding was very doable. Unlike the bridesmaids with their lamps in the parable, I had six whole days to get ready! Six days to cancel my obligations for the weekend, get back to Louisville, and do what I should have already done – get a gift and figure out what to wear to a Middle Eastern wedding.

Piece of cake. … Right?

More importantly, someday, Jesus, our Bridegroom will return for His Bride – us.

Just as I shouldn’t have waited until I knew the exact date to get ready for Ali’s wedding, we really shouldn’t wait to be getting ready for that Day! We don’t know the day or hour, and by the time we find out, it will be too late.

It could be today or a hundred years from now – or a thousand years.

We should all get ready now and stay ready.

Prayer: Lord, we know You’re coming back for us someday, maybe today. Give us hearts that wait in eager expectation for Your return, even while serving You in any way we can until that Day arrives, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

*(Not their real names)