Recently I was able to attend a wedding. It's kind of my thing. I'm not completely sure why the Lord has chosen to bless me with the opportunity to participate in so many, but I am surely glad he does. I had a friend tell me that I was the male equivalent of that chick from 27 dresses. While that may or may not be true, I think the difference in me and that Katherine lady's character is that I truly enjoy it. (and I wear tuxes not dresses). This wedding was in Cali, which meant I got to fly there. This married (pun absolutely intended) two of my favorite things. Weddings and Airports.
There is something mystical about the airport. It's a place full of emotion. Gladness and sadness meet headlong and the fallout reeks of Gospel truth. Upstairs in the airport you find what seems to be a city within itself. Harried travelers are rushing from Terminal to Terminal. You must pay your toll to enter by taking off your shoes, or subjecting yourself to a sketchy pat down. The police force drive tiny golf carts, people yell, kids cry, students study, and names called over the muffled speakers. You get to see where everyone is heading, but more often than not, everyone is wanting to get home. Herein we find the gospel. Life in the world for believers is quite similar. At the end of the night, we just want to go home. We have grown tired of broken hearts, changed plans, overdue bills, lackluster jobs, busted up cars, strained friendships, waiting, longing, dates, dubstep, gluten, Rex Ryan, and rom-coms. We'd trade all these things for the chance to go home. For this we need a Redeemer. We need someone to change our hearts, not just our perspective
My friend Mikey dated his bride long distance. The night before the wedding, all their closest friends were gathered in the Hotel lobby, raising our glasses in admiration at their resolve to not quit or compromise how they felt for one another, but instead face the hard things, do the hard work of dating and trust that God was leading them into trials for their sanctification, to make them more like Jesus.
My favorite part of this story is how he proposed. Their relationship revolved around the airport. The glorious anticipation of picking one another up was coupled with the painful anxiety of having to say goodbye a few days later, in the very same place. Gladness meeting sadness. Mikey stepped up however, and redeemed the airport, for the love of Marisa. He chose to forever equate the building with the joy of asking her to be his bride. He went into a place he did not like to radically renew the perspective of one he loved more than life itself. He chose to forever change Marisa's heart toward airports, and now she never has to wonder if Mikey will be there to greet her. See downstairs in the airport can be just as dramatic. In the post 9/11 era, the baggage claim has become the place of grand receptions. Husbands greet their wives, families embrace, and friends high five. However, for some there is still the reminder that home isn't waiting outside of the doors.
I've always been a little bit of a hopeless romantic. I don't paint or play the violin, so often times I'm left with my thoughts. On every flight, after grabbing my carry-ons I wish for there being someone at baggage claim to greet me. There never is. Typically I'm greeted by a cold 98 ranger, chilling in the parking garage, reminding me again, that Home isn't here yet, and that this desire isn't wrong, but is instead hardwired into who we are as Children of God. We all want to be home, and we all want someone there waiting on us when we turn the doorknob.
The beauty of the christian life is that we have a Savior who suffered through all of these things. He was the guest at a wedding, changed water into wine, and taught that we the church are His bride, and he the true Bridegroom. If the Son of God waits in humble submission to his Father then we too must realize that as his image bearers, it is ok to wait on the Lord's proactive change in our hearts, for when we do, we will receive the greatest of receptions. A true Reception. At last we will see the face of our Savior Jesus welcoming us home. This time there will be no goodbyes. We shall rest, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with our souls. Even so, Come Lord Jesus.
