A Covering of Love
- Sarah D.
- Mar 28
- 5 min read
Will you, dear ones, go with me on this stroll down memory lane? I call it memory lane because I want to memorialize and testify to something so beautiful that the Lord gave to me this past Thanksgiving season. You see, He gave me the gift of marriage to a wonderful man after His own heart. On the Friday evening before Thanksgiving 2024, we were wed under a beautiful canopy called a chuppah.
There is powerful symbolism behind this beautiful wedding structure from our Jewish heritage, but let me start with this verse as we go on our journey. I Peter 4:8 talks about how in these last days we must walk in God’s Love. “Above all, constantly echo God’s intense love for one another, for love will be a canopy over a multitude of sins” (TPT). I experienced Love’s covering the day of Adam’s and my wedding. I tasted and saw God’s goodness in the land of the living (Psalm 34:8; Psalm 27:13).
There is an informative article written by Yaakov Brown, a Messianic Jewish man, where he explains the symbolism of the Messianic Jewish wedding. He explains how the Chuppah represents “the marriage chamber and the ancient custom of the” groom “building a room onto the house of his father in preparation for receiving his Ishah (wife) to be”. As part of the Chuppah design, the prayer shawl is included. Yaakov Brown goes on to describe how “The Tallit (prayer shawl)...covers the bride and groom symbolizing” God’s Presence as our Dwelling Place, like the Tent of Meeting in Moses and Joshua’s time. He also explains how the chuppah mirrors what is to come at the end of the age in the New Jerusalem, where our Lord Jesus Christ “will be the Covering and the Light to the people of God…for all eternity”. Please take a look at Sarah Van Dreese’s message on the prayer shawl, as well as Marlene’s message from October 2024 for more information on the Jewish wedding and what it means for us. What I want to focus on here is how God’s Presence wraps around us, and His Love (from His Heart, but also from His Spirit working in and on others) covers us.
You see, teaching and taking classes while preparing for a wedding is a lot of irons in the fire all at once. My husband and I could not have done any of it on our own without God’s Love and without the support of our loved ones around us. Many of you were that support that I am forever grateful for. God brought us through so much and took us from victory to victory. Some of my weaknesses are organization, saying yes to too much, being anxious, and wanting to please people. Even in these weaknesses, God’s love covered me, and His grace was sufficient. Glory to God!
The Holy Spirit covered my beloved and I through it all. Favor was beyond what I could ask or think! From my loving dad who provided the beauty costs to my dearest brothers and uncle, who covered the costs of the venue and the food, thank you. To my lovely and gracious cousins and aunts who made sure I had a Chuppah, a cake, beautiful decorations, a beautiful dress for me and beautiful dresses for my bridesmaids, thank you. To my beautiful Pastor Rita, who made sure to be there to reflect my mother’s love from Heaven, thank you. To my lovely sister-in-love, Emily who used her beautiful talent with plants and colors to arrange bouquets and flowers set for royalty, thank you! Oh what our Loving Father has in store for you!
To my new family members who poured out such love and kindness and have taken me in as their own (Grandma Joyce and Ella, my new sister and brother, and so many wonderful aunts and uncles, cousins and friends), thank you. To the prayers of our grandmothers and my dearest mother, Jeanne, who left gifts for me all along the way (I even found dishes and silverware she hid away for my future marriage), thank you. To my dear Sarah Van Dreese, who came in from Washington to minister at the wedding, and to my new friend who came with her to be such a big help and support in every way he could, thank you. To Dianna who stood up there with us and read Isaiah 61 as a blessing to all in attendance as well as helping with the music with another dear friend and my cousin, thank you. To Cindy and John who made a beautiful video appearance, prayed and blessed us with Scripture, thank you. To Hannah and her dearest sister who have considered me as family in their prayers, thank you. To my friend who knew that sometimes, a woman needs a sister to walk her through some of the unknown parts of the marriage life (you know who you are), thank you. To my dear friend/sister and her beautiful mama and grandma who provided the Tallit, which we used for the Chuppah and that I have now given to my beloved husband as the head of the house (see Sarah Van Dreese’s article for more on that), thank you. To the love of spiritual mothers and fathers that God has given us and spiritual brothers and sisters in Christ who prayed with us and held us up and covered us in prayer, thank you. To so many who brought their supplies of time, money, creativity, all kinds of abilities, thank you! To my beloved husband, Adam whose big heart covers me in love, thank you! What a beautiful reflection of Christ’s love and His Arms that hold us up and pull us in close even on the hardest days and the darkest nights. God is so good to us.
I will run out of space to thank all of you, dear ones, but know that Adam and I experienced Love’s covering through you and your prayers. Prayers have been answered for the event of the wedding, but now I can rest in God’s Covering of Love as my husband and I run the rest of the race as we are being led into triumph by our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 2:14). Please know you too are covered in God’s Love, dear ones, and your walk with Him extends His covering to others. Thank you, dear ones, and remember as Pastor Lindy Sloan taught me long ago, as God was with Moses so he will be with you, and what God does for one, He can do for you too. Believe and receive God’s covering of love today. Rest in His Covering of Love today. Lean back on His shoulders and listen to His Heart as He shows you the way. His plans are greater, and He has your best in mind. Love to all you, dear children of God!
References:
Yaakov Brown. 2022, October 5. “A Messianic Jewish Wedding Infographic”. https://www.bethmelekh.com/yaakovs-commentary/a-messianic-jewish-wedding-infographic
Marlene McGuirk. October 2024. “The Bride-Are You Ready?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txLrWopKzkU
Sarah Van Dreese. 2023, September 4. “The Prayer Shawl”
The Passion Translation on The Bible App
Photos by Carol Harlow Photography
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