Chris West: Professional Prayer

Over the weekend I attended the wedding of my girlfriends sister. It was lovely. She looked beautiful and you could just feel the joy radiating off of the two of them. Of course she wasn't the most beautiful woman in the room, that honor went to my girlfriend. She was radiant. All of that to say this, I was originally asked to perform the ceremony. You could imagine how honored I was.

Come to find out that the place she was having the wedding didn't let "Licensed Ministers" perform weddings. You had to be a "Ordained Minister". Though, I wasn't going to be left out entirely. The bride asked me to give the blessing at the reception party. Here's how that went down.

Hint: I said something awkward.

For about a week I pondered how to properly give a blessing for a meal that also encompassed blessing the covenant my two friends had entered into. I read up on the scripture talking about marriage and all that it entails, even the racy stuff in Song of Solomon. Tee Hee.

As the day got closer I really felt like I had nailed down how to balance asking God to use the meal to focus our thoughts and lives back to Him as well as reinforcing the great joy and weight of their wedding covenant. So after a four hours road trip to Asheville, it was go time.

The wedding was very nice. I've been to several weddings and most of them have been between people who are of the Reformed bent. So it was interesting to sit in on a wedding where neither person was really into theology and doctrine. Not to say they aren't Christians, I firmly believe they are. But, I've just gotten very used to weddings between seminary students and soon to be seminary students. Either way, there were differences that I can't adequately point out, though I know I noticed them. Maybe some other time.

After the two were married we tarried (Ha! A rhyme!) over to the reception and I was one of the first things up. I stepped up to the mic and everyone quieted. I asked everyone to bow in prayer with me and said something like this, "Heavenly Father, thank you so much for this day. For this chance to join together and witness your covenant of marriage performed before us. Thank you for Jevone and Kadee reminding us of the sacrificial love you showed all of us on the cross and the love that we should have for you." It was at this point I began to bless the food.

"Lord, we ask that you bless this food that we are about to eat and this drink that we are about to enjoy." I could have stopped there, but I got cocky and felt like I needed to really tie together the two themes of the prayer. "Much like Kadee and Jevone's new marriage. I pray that you make the food nourishing to our bodies in the same way that they will lift each other up and help to strengthen one another, drawing ever closer to you. And, precious savior, I pray that we enjoy all that we drink and remember that it is a gift from you." This is where I should have said, "Amen." but I didn't.

"Holy God, I pray that we enjoy the drink just like Kadee and Jevone will enjoy. . .(awkward pause as I realize what I've just started to say but see no way out of it). . .each other. (Another pause) "Amen." There was chuckling after the amen, but also several people applauded my frankness. Either way, I'm available for weddings, birthday parties, moose lodge meetings and any other event that may require a "professional" blessing.