A Brother's Engagement

Two months ago, a family came to visit me in Gurugram and requested me to pray for their son's possible engagement in Jalandhar, Punjab with a Punjabi sister. I sincerely prayed for the brother's engagement to happen according to the Lord's will as I know him. In fact, he is now in his forties, high time to get married. A few weeks later, the brother called to inform me of his engagement to happen and also invited me to attend. Perhaps, to be their spiritual brother to pray for them and stand with them. I considered the request before the Lord and in fellowship with my co-serving brother, I decided to attend the engagement. Yet in addition, I also planned for a distribution trip to the city, to make use of the visit.

A comfortable hospitality was arranged for me in Jalandhar city where I could spend enough time praying and studying the word before the engagement meeting. At the engagement, though no preplanning was done, it was fitting for me to take the lead and minister the word for the couple. The sister's side brought along two pastors but they abruptly left after they made a short announcement about the engagement. There seemed to be a void in the entire meeting. Therefore, I was invited by the brother's side to take over. 

For about forty-five minutes I ministered on God's eternal plan in creating man as a vessel so that man can contain Him, express Him, and represent Him. For this, God also charged man to multiply, which happens through marriage. Therefore, marriage is God ordained and must be honored. I also ministered along the line of loving the Lord and loving one another, being one with the Lord and also one with one another as couples, and the need for Christ filled family life in today's age of degradation and godlessness. 

As I noticed that some of the relatives of the sister were still unbelievers, I shared a short gospel for them and showed them how to believe into the Lord Jesus Christ. With this simple message, impromptu though, but the Lord anointed and gave the utterances. The meeting was very much enriched. The family of the brothers were so supplied by this "unplanned" engagement message. 

Later, they expressed their gratitude, and our relationship as Christian brothers and sisters got much strengthened. The father of the brother was so touched by my being with the family and shepherding them, when I was about to move on for my next work, he thanked me with tears rolling down from his eyes, and hugged me. I am glad that the Lord's shepherding care indeed was upon them through my presence. To me, it was all the Lord's shepherding care for the raising up of His testimony in their native place one day. They are bign prepared by he Lord.

Through this one day engagement meeting, the Lord made the entire family open to me for fellowship. I do belive the Lord will use this newly established relationship to shepherd them all in the coming days and also gain them all wherever they are, to be fully for the Lord.

Lord, gain the couple and all their relatives for Your testimony!