During most of our everyday lives, we live simple, ordinary existences doing ordinary everyday work. Yet every once in a while, God’s powerful grace explodes around us. It falls at our feet and we are forced to acknowledge that something unusual has happened.  And we are astonished at the change that suddenly envelopes. Why? Because are suddenly immersed in God’s amazing grace and it changes everything.

 I saw this happen this past week. I took part in a wedding ceremony for an 88-year-old groom, and his 76-year-old bride. He walked proudly to the altar with his walker leading his way, while his beaming bride tightly caressed his arm smiling broadly. 

 Indeed both shone with sunshine telling all “love has no bounds.” By the gleeful faces and happy demeanor of family and friends present, this was the proper response.  Everyone present knew by the about to be newlyweds’ ecstatic smiles and euphoric glows that love had found them, and they felt love’s power and sway.

 This irresistible power of grace soon swept from the couple to the faces of those gathered.  The warm glow of this venerable couple who found each other, were delighted to share the magic of their great moment of discovery.

 Their tender love miraculously seemed to bring youth to their faces and lightness to their cautious steps. The seal of husband and wife could not arrive fast enough to speed them into their future no matter how long it might be.

 They just knew that each year would count because they would be together. This present moment of their lives would make all other moments worth the journey. God’s gift of grace would make it so.  And to quicken their steps, friends and family clapped their hands with joyful affirmation.  Basking in grace’s cloud of hope, the newly married couple’s happiness flooded this entire cheerful scene.

 Its definitely easy to find fault with our world today or label what isn’t working. But the lasting memory from this day is the genuine love and steadfastness the bride and groom acclaimed with their “I do’s.” It is story that can give luster to any shadowy day we may experience.

 God always writes straight with crooked lines. Grace is God’s free gift and the more we dwell on what it may mean, the more hope and joy we bring to our present moments. We simply hear “John do you take Jenny?” and “Jenny do you take John?” and we witness God’s grace at work. And because they do and believe, I can also live my present moment, with its joy and pain in a much deeper way.  Isn’t God’s grace a powerful gift?

 God always chooses us, because God loves us first.   We need to remember this the next time we have to choose. If God is a choice, always choose him as he has already chosen you.