The Parable of the Misplaced Veil

You see, this was no ordinary veil. While every veil is special, this one was handmade in India for the Bride, a gift from her grandparent’s missionary friends to India. Supposedly, a keepsake for generations to come.

by Linda Dyson

A husband and wife gave their daughter and her sweetheart a large and lovely wedding to celebrate God’s grace in her life. After the happy couple drove away in the silver Mazda, the parents and many helpers finished packing up the last of the wedding items before heading home to collapse. Two days passed as the husband and wife enjoyed the remaining out of town guests and family.

During that time, the Mother of the Bride discovered that the bride’s veil was missing from the wedding dress bag. The search began, retracing steps, looking in cars, questioning the bridal party, calling the honeymoon hotel, numerous visits to the church including a dumpster diving session, even emailing the honeymooners trying to ask casually, “If by chance any wedding items had been left in the car”. All efforts proved fruitless. The longer the search, the sadder the mother became, fighting back the enemy’s accusations and condemnation for being so irresponsible. She called the Mother of the Groom who instantly went into prayer and praises thanking God for the safety and discovery of the veil. Not to fear, not to worry, the other Mother encouraged. All the time, the Mother of the Bride tried hard to follow her admonitions. But she gradually felt sick in her stomach as she battled fear. What if the worst had happened and the veil was lost or had been trashed accidentally, having been placed in one of many cleaners bags, most of which were properly disposed of.

You see, this was no ordinary veil. While every veil is special, this one was handmade in India for the Bride, a gift from her grandparent’s missionary friends to India. Supposedly a keepsake for generations to come.

After six days of searching and praying, the husband and wife began to prepare their approach regarding The Misplaced Veil that might become The Lost Veil. Husband said he would break the news; wife fought back tears while they tried to hang onto every thread of hope. Honeymooners were coming home in three days. Wife did not want to face bride or her own mother.

Before going to bed on the sixth night of the mystery, husband was in the closet doing what people do in their closet, when all of a sudden he calmly, then excitedly exclaimed, “Could it be, Lord, could it really be?” Out of the closet husband emerged carrying the hanger with the veil nearly wrapped in a cleaners bag. Wife fell on her face before the Lord crying, shouting, laughing and praising all at the same time. Husband kept getting louder and louder. Both were ecstatic with joy, beyond description, thanking God for his manifested answer. Suddenly, they stopped and with teary eyes, realized they were feeling even just a tiny bit of the joy Jesus feels when one of His lost ones comes home to Him. The lost sheep, the lost coin, the prodigal, and now, for their family, a precious story of the misplaced veil returned to its rightful place beside the beautiful gown their daughter had worn.

Which are you — the sheep, the coin, the son, or the veil? Whichever one, the Lord longs for your return to be by His side forever. Respond today and hear Him ecstatic with joy beyond description.

Linda Dyson has lived in Tulsa all of her adult time, calling FUMC home most of that time. She cherishes her roles as the wife of David (43 years), mother of two adult children (and their spouses) and Grammy to four lively grandsons. She enjoys Bible studies, reading, exercising and hospitality. A graduate of ORU, she has taught English as a Second Language in a variety of capacities. Her latest hobby is shining antique silverware, seeing the tarnished turn into the shining… much like her life because of her relationship with Christ.