The Blessing

The Blessing dan skognes leadership development trainer coach consultant motivation blogger speaker

My wife and I were invited to a post wedding celebration.  We would have been invited to the wedding, but the bride and groom got married in Cypress.  He is from the United States, and she is from Israel.

They were a lovely young couple, but the thing that struck me was the character of the young man.  I heard him talk about God and how God had revealed Himself to him at such an early age.  He literally had a vision at age 14 that he was going to go to Israel and find a wife there some day.  At that age, I think I was still watching the Three Stooges.  LOL.

There were two Bible women that he found fascinating and was attracted to at a very early age.  One was Queen Esther, and one was Hadasah, who had a servants’ heart.  He asked God to give him a Queen Esther….and a woman like Hadasah, who had a servants’ heart.  He did not know at the time that Hadasah is actually one of the translations for the name Esther.

So when he got older, he ventured to Israel to find his bride.  Through God’s divine intervention he was directed to her.  She did not know it yet, but he knew pretty quickly that she was the one.  They formally dated only seven days (seven, by the way, is the perfect number in the Bible), before he told her that they were to be married and he proposed.

In that seven day period, they connected heart to heart.  Before that she had been asking God to give her a husband.  She made a covenant with God that she was going to go to the market to buy flowers every Friday until God brought her husband to her.  One particular week God told Zak to bring her flowers.  He thought, “Women like, flowers.  That is a good idea.”  He did not know the significance of the flowers. But, he bought them and gave them to her.

During one of their evenings of courting as they were talking, God prompted him to tell her that he was supposed to buy her flowers every Friday.  He did not want to mess things up with her and talk about flowers!  This is not what they were talking about, and it had been going well up until this point.  Anyway, long story short, he finally told her, “I don’t know why I am supposed to tell you this, but God told me that I am supposed to bring you flowers every Friday.”

They were in a fancy restaurant.  She threw both hands in the air and let out a yelp.  People around them were startled as they stared at the young couple.  When she told him of her covenant with God, he threw his hands in the air and let out a yelp.  People were wondering what the heck this couple was drinking, I am sure. This was the confirmation for them that the timing was perfect.  This was God’s will.

God confirmed in both of them that this was a blessing as only He can do.  God has a great sense of humor.  I can see him watching all this and just smiling and thinking, “This is going to be GOOD.”

Soon after, they were married.  Since she was Jewish and he was Protestant, they could not get married in Israel, so they got married in Cypress.  They now reside in Israel.

Zack, the groom, is so much like his father Clint.  I know Clint very well.  We have been friends for many years and he is one of the finest men I know. He is a man after God’s own heart.  Clint has a passion for serving the Lord and living his life for Him. He is one of the most joyous people you will ever meet.  He always has a good word when he meets you, and he loves to hug.  When he gives me a greeting, it is like getting a hug from God.

Clint’s son has his father’s character.  I can see that in him.  The old saying is, “The apple does not fall far from the tree.”  Usually that is used in a negative context about someone, but in this case, it is a perfect example of the tree that bore good fruit.  Zack has his father’s character.  I see Clint in him. How beautiful is that as an example of what a father – son relationship is supposed to look like?  How beautiful is that as an example of what a family is supposed to look like?  They love one another.  They honor one another.  They both live for God first and foremost.

During the celebration that my wife and I were invited to, we had dinner, we sang hymns, and people that knew the young couple spoke blessings over them.  It was wonderful to be there and experience God’s presence and the blessing of this young couple.

All I can tell you is that when my wife and I were driving home after the celebration we both marveled at what we had witnessed.  Oh, and by the way, the bride’s name?  Esther.

P.S.   They shared with us that they are expecting their first child.  What a legacy that child has been brought in to.  Can you imagine the great things that child will accomplish?

P.S.S.  I forgot to mention that Clint’s dad loves God.  Funny how that works, huh?

Shalom!

Dan Skognes

2 Responses to “The Blessing”

  1. Bruce Gamiere says:

    Awesome story, thank you for sharing.