Valentine’s Day at the Prince

Love is in the air everywhere I look around…. . Do you remember this song by Lou Rawls from the eighties? Yes, I know. I am dating myself just like my Armani coat that Gavin Tokuda likened to something Robert DeNiro would wear in one of his famous mafia movies from that same time period. “Hey, paesano, you making a fun of my coat? Are you calling me a Good Fella? Ha!“

Whatever the case, love was definitely in the air last night at the Hawaii Prince Hotel. How would I describe or summarize our experience in Waikiki, minus all the love crazed individuals causing bumper to bumper traffic on Kuhio, Kalakaua, and every road that housed a restaurant or hotel? Which means every road. I would say first that it was a fitting way to end our KYLO study.

How could you script this any better? After four weeks of laughing, crying, venting, sozoing, apologizing, not apologizing, repenting, and gleaning some amazing wisdom from KYLO, last night was a love, healing balm that tied everything together. It was the cherry on top of the sundae, the ribbon that finished the present, the gravy that smothers a loco moco with extra mac salad, hamburger, and egg. Maybe the last illustration doesn’t quite cut it, but you know what I mean. It was full of fatness!

On top of this, you had the author of the book and his wife, Danny and Sheri Silk, visiting us on our last class and also taking part in our marriage renewal ceremony, along with officiating the communion time and eating the very thick bread. Yes, that bread was amazing. It had some ‘oomph’ to it! The fizzy grape also added a level of pizzazz to the whole affair. All kidding aside, it was powerful. It was so meaningful. It was crazy! Jesus walked among us.

On another level, as Pastor Dean so aptly put it, we were walking in God’s perfect timing. We experienced a kairos moment last night. When I think of the Book of Revelations and the marriage feast of the lamb, our time in the Mauna Kea Ballroom foreshadowed in a nuanced sort of way that glorious day when we will consummate our union with The King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

It was truly a sign to the principalities and powers of that impending reality, punctuated by the fact that seven years earlier in the same room we celebrated Dean’s and Kerry’s wedding. Again, the timing was impeccable, the number seven only strengthening the message from God. The Lord loves to use prophetic repetition to confirm spiritual realities. In this case, the church’s future marriage to Him. The time table is moving ever so swiftly towards this apex of perfected time.

On a personal level, I was floored by the marriage renewal ceremony. It was so so so so powerful. As Kevin Cockett so appropriately stated, we received way more than we expected. All I can say is that my love was deepened, my marriage strengthened, and my commitment to Jesus fortified. Another foundation stone was placed in my life, our church’s life, and in all our marriages. We will never be the same.

From Pastor Dean starting the night by honoring the passing of Bob Jones and sharing a quote from his life (Did You Learn to Love?) that mirrored the title of the last chapter of KYLO to Pastor Rod leading us at the end with “You are Worthy of It All”, the evening was pregnant with prophetic messages. I also appreciated the beautiful accents that God added to the night’s festivities by having the Kepoos cut the cake, the two families sharing their powerful testimony, and them leading the rest of us in a Filipino bridal dance, complete with money spilling out of their clothes. It just confirmed God’s love for the individual and the whole body. Their blessing blessed me, it blessed us all. God was smiling.

Words cannot do justice to all that took place last night. From Mari’s loving words to her parents to everyone’s spiffy clothes to the The Electric Slide to Troy’s joke telling, the night can only be summed up with one word: awesome! God bless you all. KYLO!

Pastor John