Isaiah 61:10-11 (NLT)
I am overwhelmed with joy in the LORD my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit
or a bride with her jewels. The Sovereign LORD will show his justice to the nations of the world.
Everyone will praise him! His righteousness will be like a garden in early spring, with plants springing up everywhere.
Raising three beautiful daughters, it is clear that women are born with marriage on their mind. With childhoods saturated with fairy tales of exquisite princesses waiting for their perfect prince, it is no wonder they are fascinated with weddings. They pretend to be brides as soon as they can recognize a veil, grabbing a handful of wildflowers, trying to coax unsuspecting boys to put down their bats and balls to play along. It just seems to be an intricate part of the intuitive nature. Our oldest daughter is closer than ever before to the highly anticipated day, although not even engaged her Pinterest is filled with pictures of gowns, rings and venue ideas. It is the next step in her life so naturally she waits expectantly preparing for that day. But even though her youngest sibling is almost a decade younger, she still creates digital scrapbooks of her perfect day. My husband logged into the family computer one day and instantly images of dresses, engagement rings, bouquets, and wedding cakes popped up on the screen. He called for me loudly and quite insistently. “What is this all about?” he demanded gruffly. I tenderly explained the heart of little girl who would one day become a radiant bride. Her heart is born to love and share with her husband so she waits in eager anticipation of his arrival. There was no need for alarm, it was just her imagination leading to her future. He was not satisfied as all of us girls he jealously considers his with no real intention of sharing. But as a man, he does not understand the heart of a woman who knows the day will come when she must leave her parents and cleave to her beloved bridegroom. She is living in eager anticipation of the most coveted event of any girl’s life – her wedding day.
I am overjoyed with joy in the Lord my God! Can you say that today or has your Bridegroom become out of sight and out of mind? The Lord has prepared you for salvation and redemption. It will be the wedding of all time. Could it be that women fill churches because our heart expects to be married one day, dreams about and anticipates its arrival? So staying true to our nature, we wait on our Prince to come who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. I am not sure. I do know that my Redeemer lives. One day, he will claim me as His Bride. Although the church is comprised of many people, your Bridegroom desires a personal and committed relationship with you. He longs to shower His Love and Affection on you in this life as a courtship leading up to the day you are joined together forever for eternity. It sounds like a fairy tale, but it is not too good to be true. The Lord has paid a great dowry to have you. He is betrothed to you now with a guarantee of what is to come. If only every member of the Body of Christ could live as expect bridegrooms and brides preparing for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, then everyone could have the joy of the Lord is this life on their way to Eternity.
Jeremiah 2:32 (NLT)
Does a young woman forget her jewelry? Does a bride hide her wedding dress? Yet for years on end my people have forgotten me.
People have forgotten that Jesus is coming back. No longer do men and women of God live in anticipation of His Arrival. They have grown weary in their waiting and chosen other lovers to pass the time. Chasing after the world, living in darkness, and building idols to satisfy their wants and desires, they are out doing other things. But Jesus Christ is coming back. His Word tells the story of the bridesmaids who were not ready when the Bridegroom returns. They are out trying to find more oil and are met with a door tightly slammed shut. For a long time, the door has been left wide open with the invitation “whosever will let them come.” But the door will not remain open forever. When He comes back, it will be too late to reclaim your lost love. It is time to return to our first love and give Him our best love. Time and attention will be required as intimacy is developed so that when He does come it will be with rejoicing. I want Jesus to know and recognize me as His Beloved. He will not have time for inattentive wayward people who have become unfaithful lovers. “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first!” (Revelation 2:4) Do not make the mistake that grace will open the door of salvation once Jesus arrives. It is a limited time offer and just as a coupon can only be redeemed before the expiration date, time is running out. It is time to repent of our rebellion and return to our first love before Jesus comes.
Hosea 3:1-2 (NLT)
Then the LORD said to me, “Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the LORD still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them.” So I bought her back for fifteen pieces of silver and five bushels of barley and a measure of wine.”
We did not sell our soul satan, we gave it away for free. We took hold of sin and ran with it. Jesus Christ paid the price of redemption to take our life back. Hosea was a righteous man. The Lord asked a lot of this man of God, when told to go redeem his wife from her chosen life of prostitution and to bring her back into his home. Truthfully, if I had been betrayed and abandoned in such a manner I do not know if I could remain faithful to the Lord’s Instruction. The story of Hosea and Gomer represents the Unfailing Love of God for His Most Unfaithful People. It is not so far from the truth today. Seldom do we concentrate on loving God as He loves us instead loving the world, darkness and sin more than the One who loves us most. One would think Gomer would have been thankful to have been redeemed from prostitution but sadly we see she quickly returns to it. There are a lot of people who call on the Name of Jesus to be saved but never give their heart, body, soul and spirit to their Beloved. They seek His Name and nothing more. Yet Jesus Christ still paid the price to save our soul and redeem us from death and the grave to experience victory. What will you do with His Love today? Will you rebel and walk away choosing the simple pleasures of this world over His Right Hand that holds pleasures evermore? “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” (Psalm 16:10)
Job 19:25-27 (NLT)
“But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives and he will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!”
Friend, I promise you today that there is more to life than this. You are living in a period of preparation as you begin to get ready for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. It doesn’t matter if you have ever been married or not. Your finances are no indication of the extravagance that day because you cannot even afford the price of admission. Jesus gave it to you when He shed His Precious Blood for your broken heart and sin-filled soul. Now you have the greatest opportunity of all time to experience a love affair that will never compare to the love shared by people. Your Redeemer Lives! He is coming back to make you His Bride! Are you ready? It’s not too late. It is time to look beyond your funeral living each day as if it were your last and prepare for forever beginning by giving your heart, mind, body and soul to Jesus Christ. Hold nothing back promise to love Him with every fiber of your beings and spend every day preparing for His Arrival, God is waiting to redeem you. (Deuteronomy 30:6) Will you live as the Redeemed?
Revelation 19:6-8 (NLT)
Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud thunder: “Praise the LORD! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to him. For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself. She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear.” For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people.”
Any bride will tell you that planning a wedding no matter how big or small can be quite stressful and by the end of the process most are of the opinion “if only I could elope and just get married.” Talking with co-workers about weddings, the only man in the group shared that he had made his wife’s dress, arranged all the flowers, prepared all the menus, and decorated the venue, all she had to do was show up. When he left, he was deemed the perfect groom by one woman and the perfect catch by another. Well, Jesus is that guy! He prepared your wedding attire, the feast that will follow the ceremony and a wonderful place for you to live forever without a worry or care! He is the Perfect Prince who is named, “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” Be excited you are about to take His Name and live with Him forever. That’s what you are looking forward to, right? If not, it is time to look beyond the light and momentary problems of today to the forever your bridegroom has planned. Not a single detail has been missed. His Plan is perfect. His Way made straight! There is no burden attached to it. All you have to do is be ready when He calls and come!
Psalm 103:1-5 (NLT)
Let all that I am praise the LORD; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins
and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!
Your Prince is coming! Live in constant expectation by faith because He who has called you is faithful. Trust in His Ability to provide all you need until He comes because He already has. You can bet your life on it – you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by taking a chance on His Amazing Love. No other lover will satisfy you like Jesus can. Don’t be caught searching for it. Choose to live in His Love today until forever comes. ”May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14) Live a life in constant expectation of His Return. You are safe in His Presence if the door finally shuts. Just as Ruth found Boaz a worthy redeemer, so will you find Jesus. When it came time to be redeemed, her true redeemer declined. He wanted the wealth but not the responsibility. (Ruth 4:3-6) But when Jesus died for your sins, He paid for your life in full and took all the responsibility for your life. Live as the Redeemed of God today. Rejoice that He loves you most! Every day can be filled with joy and satisfaction knowing that you are the Bride of Christ!
Ephesians 4:30-32 (NLT)
And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Your Bridegroom has not left you unattended until He Returns. He has guaranteed His Promise to be faithful by giving you His Spirit. The Spirit prepares the bride for her Bridegroom. He takes care of her and provides for her. The Spirit instructs and guides us through life until the day of our Wedding. Do not sorrow God’s Spirit with the way you live. Evil behavior must be removed before He comes so there will be no shame in His Arrival. Guilt is washed away as we run our life through the Blood of Jesus Christ and allow His Grace to cover the multitude of sins that we once were harboring as we strive to be a Bride worthy of His Calling. Commitment tells us not to quit. Devotion allows us to press on even when His Coming seems delayed. His Spirit is our constant reminder that He will come and be our Beloved. “The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.” (Revelation 22:17) Your Bridegroom is coming! Will you be ready when He comes?
Revelation 19:11-16 (NLT)
Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.
One day my Prince will come…until then I will strive to be ready for it may be soon!
Comments