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Sunday, January 22
Today starts my monthly journey post. If you did not read my One Word for the year, which turned out to be four, and why I’m doing this, you can read it here.
The Lord is taking me back to the beginning of this writing adventure He has called me to undertake. After I became ill with fibromyalgia, the Lord whispered to me His desire that I take up my pen and write for Him. Dumbfounded, I obeyed.
God led me to write on the Hebrew/Jewish betrothal tradition and used it to show me how it is a representation of our relationship with our Beloved Bridegroom and how we are to live the Bride life.
This month’s journey: to remember I am chosen by God to be a part of His Bride. The Father chose each one of us to be a part of His Son’s Bride. If you and I embrace this relationship, then we need to understand the background.
Walk back with me through the years to those ancient times. Back to the day when the Hebrews practiced the betrothal process which consisted of twelve steps (actually, many Jews still celebrate it today).
(I wrote about some of this in another post entitled Your Maker is Your Husband, somewhat of an overview of the betrothal process.)
The first step of the betrothal is the selection of the Bride, called shiddukhin, or the match, which is a pre-arranged agreement. The bride is chosen.
Thousands of years ago, the family existed as the father’s own little kingdom, in which he ruled absolutely, constituting a patriarchal society. More than just a social order, the head of the household held a religious significance.
As God’s representative, the father acted as the priest of his household in order to carry out God’s purpose. Those within the family accepted the father’s actions on their behalf as though done for them by God Himself.
Therefore, the Hebrew fathers thought it their duty to provide a bride for their sons in imitation of God, as Father, Who provided a wife for Adam. The majority of the time, the father chose the bride for his son.
Just as a Hebrew father chose the perfect bride for his son, so this represents the precious picture of God’s love for His Son’s Bride, the perfect companion suited for the heavenly Bridegroom.
As the ancient, betrothed bride and groom were considered as one unit, the same truth exists when believers accept Christ’s proposal, for they become a part “of His body, of His flesh and of His bones,” (Eph. 5:30 NKJV) as a divine oneness.
As Paul explained it to the Ephesians, “This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” (Eph. 5:32 NKJV) The mystery, the secret? “And this is the secret: Christ lives in you.” (Col. 1:27b NLT)
Paul said, “Long before He laid down earth’s foundations, He had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of His love,” (Eph. 1:4a Msg) and “[In His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ,” (Eph. 1:4a Amp) “to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” (Eph. 1:6 NKJV)
Accepted. That is, endued with special honor. Pursued with grace. Honored with blessings. Encompassed with favor. Beloved. Cherished.
To die for. “This is My body which is given for you,” (Luke 22:19 NKJV) Jesus said, relinquishing His life. And He says to us as He told the disciples, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you.” (John 15:16a NKJV)
This journey revisit reminds me not only to know that I am chosen but also to be cautious to live well as the Bride of my Beloved Bridegroom and to dwell much on this...
*I am chosen for my Beloved Bridegroom.
*I am accepted in my Beloved Bridegroom.
*I am endued with special honor.
*I am pursued with grace.
*I am honored with blessings.
*I am encompassed with favor.
*I am beloved, cherished, to die for.
And so are you! Hope today’s journey helped to remind you.
May you know how precious you are to the Lord and that you are chosen to be His!
