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Sing a song of celebration, lift up a shout of praise

For the Bridegroom will come the glorious one...

We will dance on the streets that are golden,

The glorious bride and the great Son of man;

From ev’ry tongue and tribe and nation

We’ll join in the song of the Lamb.

♫ On the road again! ♫

Back on the next leg of our journey. Today, we’ll stroll along the path of betrothal and be joined by the ancient bride. We’ll learn how the betrothal of old applies to us today in our earthly marriage and our spiritual marriage.

~Hope you’ve been following along, but, in case you haven’t, please check the end of this post if you’d like to catch up on the previous journey stops.

*The bride of old...

When a young woman went through the process of being betrothed to a young man, she would participate in kiddushin with her husband-to-be. Kiddushin was (and still is) a very serious commitment.

The word kiddushin comes from the same root word as “holy” but has no English word equivalent. This process consecrates a man and woman to each other.

Being bound together by the Law, the couple was referred to as husband and wife, though the marriage covenant forbade them to live together physically. They pledged to remain holy in their covenant relationship, making a strict vow of purity and allegiance to each other.

If the bridegroom found any uncleanness in his bride, according to the Law, he had the option of putting her away, or divorcing her, which required a public performance. Only death or a public document had the power to end betrothal or the marriage itself. The bride or wife could never divorce her husband.

Just what constituted uncleanness sometimes became a matter of debate between the rabbis. Some even considered bad cooking a good reason.

*The bride of today...

How seriously do we take the wedding vows of our earthly marriage covenant? Are they just ceremonial words we stumble over in nervousness? Do we adhere to a holy relationship of strict purity?

According to the vows used in years past, each partner promised to love, honor, and cherish, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, cleaving only to each other, to have and to hold from this day forward, until death parted them. That is covenant language.

Today, it has become all too easy just to toss the marriage certificate of covenant in the garbage, especially for Christians. The divorce rate within the church is a disgraceful witness to the world.

Understandably, under certain conditions, divorce does occur, and although God’s forgiveness covers divorce, it is not His ultimate will for He hates divorce (Mal. 2:16a).

*The spiritual Bride...

Covenant is one of the most significant truths in God’s Word, laying a foundation for establishing our relationship with God as our provider, with Christ as our Bridegroom, with the Holy Spirit as our comforter, with our spouse in marriage, with each other in God’s family, and for understanding Scripture.

As our ancient, betrothed bride and groom were considered as one entity, the same truth exists when believers covenant themselves with Christ, 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 said, “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 wrote to the Corinthians, telling them, “I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God Himself. I promised you as a pure bride to one husband—Christ.” (2 Cor. 11:2 NLT)

In our divine, covenant relationship, we vow to remain pure and holy. We vow to love, honor, and obey. When our Bridegroom finds uncleanness in us, He does not dismiss us with a certificate of divorce. The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin; then, we ask for forgiveness and are cleansed by the shed blood of Jesus, being restored to our state of purity.

Just as our earthly marriage makes no room for any additional partners, so our heavenly espousal allows no desire in our hearts to be a rival for our Bridegroom. A heart yoked together with the Bridegroom in a holy union—one undivided in its affection, giving Him its full allegiance, without infidelity, hypocrisy, or unbelief—is His desire for us, His Bride.

Scripture cautions us, “Shun (keep clear away from, avoid by flight if need be) any sort of idolatry (of loving or venerating anything more than God).” (1 Cor. 10:14 Amp) Anything! If anything is dearer to our hearts than the Lord, then, it is an idol and threatens our relationship with our heavenly Bridegroom.

As has been said, “If He is not the Lord of all, then He is not the Lord at all!” So then, “looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus,” (Heb. 12:2 Amp) we cleave only to the Bridegroom, saying as the Shulamite woman, “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.” (SOS 6:3 NKJV)

We cherish our Bridegroom as our First Love, to have and to hold from this day forward, guarding our covenant of betrothal with Him.

“Come, let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetualcovenant that shall not be forgotten.” (Jer. 50:5b Amp)

So ends today’s journey. Thanks for walking with me. Happy trails!



~If you did not read the reason for this monthly journey, you can read it here and the first step of the journey here. The second leg of the journey is here.

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Thousands of years ago, the Hebrews observed a betrothal of marriage custom that consisted of twelve steps. Much of this custom is still observed today.

According to the custom, a Hebrew father almost always chose the woman to be betrothed to his son. Only rarely did the parents allow their children to make their own choices.

After all the betrothal steps had been completed, the Law legally bound the man and woman together and regarded them as husband and wife, as one entity. Though considered married, the covenant forbade them to live together physically.

Most betrothal periods lasted about one year, as the bridegroom would leave to build a home for his bride. Before he departed to begin his project, the bridegroom made a statement to his bride: “I go to prepare a place for you; if I go, I will return again unto you.”

Throughout their relationship, they were entirely devoted to one another, even though distance separated them. Their commitment to each other was based on covenant and was not to be broken.

When the bridegroom was finished building the home, he still could not leave to snatch away his bride. He never knew the day or hour for he had to wait until his father gave his approval and said it was time to go. Then, the bridegroom would gather his friends and go get his bride, arriving around midnight, unannounced. The bride never knew the day nor the hour of his arrival and had to be ready at all times.

Throughout the Bible, God relates to His people in a closeness of companionship so intimate that He compares it to a marriage relationship. In the book of Isaiah, He said, “For your Maker is your Husband.” (Is. 54:5 NKJV)

As the father, in the tradition, arranged the marriage for his son, God the Father arranged the marriage between His Son and the church as the Bride.

Just as the Hebrew couple was considered as one unit, the same truth exists when believers accept Christ’s proposal, receiving Him as their Savior, for they become a part “of His body, of His flesh and of His bones,” (Eph. 5:30b NKJV) as a divine oneness.

As Paul said, “This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” (Eph. 5:32 NKJV) The mystery, the secret? “For this is the secret: Christ lives in you.” (Col. 1:27b NLT)

Even though the Father has chosen her, the Bride comes of her own free will, accepting the Bridegroom’s proposal and choosing to be betrothed to Christ - or not. If she accepts and says, “I do,” she is, as Paul said, “‘married,’ so to speak, to the One Who rose from the dead.” (Rom. 7:4b TLB)

When Christ died, He departed as the heavenly Bridegroom to prepare a dwelling place for His precious Bride. On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus essentially spoke the bridegroom’s statement to the disciples, “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:2b-3 NKJV)

The Son knows not the day nor the hour of His return, as only the Father knows the time for the Son’s return for His precious Bride. As Jesus said, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” (Matt. 24:36 NKJV)

Neither does the Church Bride know the day nor the hour of her Beloved Bridegroom’s return for her, so she must be prepared at all times.

If Jesus died that His Bride might be without spot or wrinkle or any other defect, then, as part of the Bride, how will you be dressed when the heavenly Bridegroom arrives? Will you have a mopey face, hair covered in the ashes of doubt and worry, breath smelling of negative words, and wear a ratty old wedding gown of self-pity, ripped and stained, full of the filth of the world?

Or will you be “a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (Rev. 21:2b NIV) adorned with a smile on your face, joy in your heart, songs of worship and praise on your lips, dressed in a pure, white garment of salvation and righteousness, and crowned with the gift of the Bridegroom?

The Bridegroom is coming soon for His Bride. Have you made sure that you are in a holy covenant of betrothal with Him? While He’s away, are you totally devoted to Him? If you knew tomorrow was your last day on earth, would it affect your behavior today?

Are you ready for His return? Are you, as they say, good to go?

Photo via Aim2please.ca

(Recently, Stephanie Shott asked me to be a guest poster on her blog. This is the post that I share with you today. I hope you will hop over and visit her wonderful blog.)

From the opening pages of the Bible, God relates to His people in a closeness of companionship so intimate that He compares it to a marriage relationship, as He said to Israel, “For your Maker is your Husband.” (Isa. 54:5a Amp)

In the closing pages, this relationship remains paramount, for the Father sent His Son as the heavenly Bridegroom to woo the heart of the perfect Bride into holy oneness with Him. The chosen companion suited for the heavenly Bridegroom as Peter says, “for you have been chosen by God Himself…you are holy and pure, you are God’s very own.” (1 Peter 2:9 TLB)

The Bride’s Preparation

In the ancient, Hebrew betrothal tradition, the groom departed from his bride-to-be to build the couple’s new home, which took approximately one year. During this time, the bride prepared her bridal necessities and equipped herself for her new life. All her wedding finery had to be ready at a moment’s notice, for she never knew when her bridegroom would come to snatch her away.

When the time came, the bride wanted not only to look her very best for the one she loved but also to be the very best for him, to be a good reflection on his name and his character. You see, the betrothed couple was considered married, yet they were not allowed to live together. Therefore, her behavior reflected on him.

How is Christ’s Bride living?

How is the Bride of Christ spending Her time while waiting for Her Beloved Bridegroom to snatch Her away? Is She preparing those things necessary for Her nuptials?

Does She love Him with all Her heart and soul, or does She entertain other loves? Is She doing the things the Holy Spirit leads Her to do? Is She studying the Word? Does She rearrange Her schedule to make prayer time a priority? Is She a good reflection on Her Beloved’s Name and character? Just what exactly is She doing to make Herself ready?

How does She look? How is She dressed?

Would a bride go to her wedding naked? Would you consider her appropriately dressed for her grand day of aisle-walking if her beautiful, bridal gown was covered in mud or big blotches of stains? Would she want to greet her beloved in that condition? No, of course not! A bride is immaculately dressed in her pristine, wedding attire, looking her absolute best for her bridegroom on their wedding day.

Likewise, is the Bride of Christ dressed in her pristine, bridal finery and ready for Her day of divine marriage? Or is Her garment dirtied with the stains of the world? Things like doubt, worry, unforgiveness, complaining, judging, gossip, lying, adultery, pride, impure thoughts, busyness, internet porn, other addictions, or anything else that grieves the Holy Spirit?

Have these mud-slings diverted Her focus from Her Bridegroom? Has She forgotten that Her behavior reflects on His Name and character?

Jesus asks His Bride, “Do you love Me more than these?” (John 21:15 NKJV)

James tells us of the one who remains true to Her Beloved, “The Christian who is pure and without fault, from God the Father’s point of view, is the one who...remains true to the Lord-not soiled and dirtied by his contacts with the world.” (James 1:27 TLB)

Is the Bride ready?

Is Christ’s Bride ready for Her day of snatching away? When the heavenly Bridegroom arrives, will He find us with a mopey face, hair covered in the ashes of doubt and worry, breath smelling of negative words, and dressed in a ratty, old rag of self-pity, ripped and spotted with worldly residue?

Or will He find us as “a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (Rev. 21:2 NIV), adorned with a smile on Her face, joy in Her heart, songs of praise on Her lips, and be dressed in a pure, spotless gown of holiness?

Oh, sweet believers, may our lives be so holy and our readiness so complete that we shall have no sorrow when the Bridegroom comes calling for us, His beloved Bride.

“Behold, the bridegroom cometh!” (Matt. 25:6b KJV)

Are you ready?

"…you were not redeemed with corruptible things…But [you were purchased] with the precious blood of Christ.”(1 Peter 1:18a NKJV, 1 Peter 1:19a Amp)
I love some of those commercials that show an item, then list the price of something and, at the end, list something that is priceless.

That’s our redemption: priceless! Priceless...in the sense that we could never repay Christ for the redemption we have received.

But for Him: a very costly price. His life. But still...an unmeasured, priceless gift to us.

Jesus Christ released His earthly life to die an excruciating death on a cruel cross. Is there a greater sacrifice? The disciple John wrote, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13 NLT)

You are that special friend of Jesus; you are worth every drop of blood that He shed and paid for you. If you have accepted that sacrificial offer, you are the precious Bride of Christ, the Beloved Bridegroom.

Jesus paid the asking price for His Bride, “a single sacrifice for our sins [that shall avail] for all time,” (Heb. 10:12a Amp) “who gave Himself a ransom on behalf of all.” (1 Tim. 2:6 NKJV)

The Greek word for ransom, in the above verse, is used only this once in the Bible and means the redemption price of a slave or captive, that which is offered in exchange for another.

In that covenant exchange, Christ suffered death in our stead that we might walk in newness of His risen Life. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10 NKJV)

Redeeming us from our sins and ultimate spiritual death, Christ became our Kinsman-Redeemer, for He “purchased our freedom [redeeming us] from the curse (doom) of the Law [and its condemnation] by [Himself] becoming a curse for us.” (Gal. 3:13 Amp)

The Greek meaning of the word used for redeem, I think, beautifully describes what Christ did for us. It means to ransom, to rescue one from loss to improve opportunity, to purchase one for his freedom from another’s power by paying a price to recover him, or to buy up for one’s self or own use.

He exchanged His life for yours. He redeemed your life to improve it, to give you abundant Life. He purchased you from the power of the enemy, redeeming you from a life of drudgery, from servitude to sin, from eternal loss, as He said, “So that anyone who believes in Me will have eternal life.” (John 3:15 TLB)

Great agony and heartache were the price of your redemption. Truly you are not your own. You were bought with a price.

Love and redemption: priceless!

May you know that Eternal Life that surges through your precious, blood-bought soul. And may the Lord reveal to you His presence in some special way this Easter season.

There is a beautiful love story of a prince and his peasant bride in Max Lucado’s book, When Christ Comes. The prince is stately, peerless, yet she is common, plain. “His attraction to her baffling.”

She is sometimes “sullen and sour, even cranky.” Not the type you’d want to spend the rest of your life with. Yet, he cannot live without her, so he proposes to her. Soon afterward, he leaves to build their future home and take care of his father’s kingdom duties. He promises her that he will return for her as soon as everything was ready.

In the meantime, she forgets that she is betrothed. She lives as she pleases, not caring that her behavior reflects on her family and on her betrothed. “She forgot to prepare herself for her nuptials. She was even seen doing things that made others whisper.”

Rebellious and forgetful. Distracted and too busy. Preparation for the wedding? What future bride does not plan and prepare for her beautiful wedding day. A prince was coming for her. Forget the groom? How could she!

And how could we. We are that peasant girl, that covenanted bride-to-be. Do we behave as though we are betrothed to our Beloved? No. Our behavior should be fitting of a princess...not a peasant. His return for us should be uppermost in our minds.

Max says we are “amnesic.” “To forget the purpose of gingko is one thing. But to forget our engagement to Christ is another.”

We need a reminder! And here it is:

“YOU HAVE CAPTURED GOD’S HEART.”
You, the one He loves truly. You, the one for whom He died. You, the one to whom He yearns to be close. You, The Lord’s espoused, His intended, His precious companion for all eternity.

A wedding day is the culmination of preparation. Everything is ready. And the bride and groom desire to look their best for each other. All decked out in their wedding finery; he, fit to meet the bride, and she, fit to meet the bridegroom.

Where is your focus? Is it on your heavenly Bridegroom? Are you preparing every day for that beautiful wedding? Are you fit to meet your Bridegroom?

When I go to a wedding, I always keep my eyes on the groom. The look on his face is always a precious glimpse into his heart.

He stands there, first on one foot and then on the other. The epitome of royalty in his wedding finery. Ready to whisk his beloved away to their future home. His smile – crooked. His cheek – twitching.

The vein in his neck about to pop from anticipation. Anxiety increases as he awaits that lovely figure in white to take her place beside him.

If you take a closer look into his eyes, you’ll see the reflection of his bride as she comes down the aisle. And you are that precious reflection in the eyes of Jesus, as He waits to take you home with Him.

I wonder...are we all that anxious to “clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ” and look so beautiful for our precious Bridegroom? If so, someday we will be thrilled to hear: “How beautiful is your love…my [promised] bride!”

Prepare yourself, Bride. Ready yourself for your beloved Bridegroom. Remember, you are engaged. Behave as a proper princess should. Keep your eyes on the Groom. He is returning for you.

As Max says, “You are engaged to royalty, and your Prince is coming to take you home”!!! “Behold, your bridegroom is coming; run out to meet him!”

“Do not let your hearts be troubled…I will come back again
and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also.”

“I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.”

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!!

Photo by Groomsadvice.com
In the ancient, betrothal tradition, 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. When a son came of age to marry, the father, or sometimes the father and mother, chose a bride for their son from their own clan.

A betrothal usually lasted about one year, as the bridegroom left to prepare a place for his bride, usually within his father’s compound. There was to be no contact between the espoused couple during this time.

Therefore, all communications were made through an intermediary, or as we might think of him, a “best man.” He was the one who interceded, relaying messages of love from the groom to the bride and from the bride back to the groom.

As the assistant who also helped plan the marriage, this man was called the “friend of the bridegroom.” This was how John the Baptist referred to himself in John 3:29, saying, “The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.” (NKJV)

When Christ went ahead to prepare a place for His Bride within His Father’s compound, He sent the Holy Spirit as the Friend of the Bridegroom to be the communicator for Him.

Now, the Holy Spirit, as the intermediary, comes to woo the heart of Christ’s intended, to passionately whisper in Her ear and delicately relay the Bridegroom’s messages of love to Her heart.

If you do not take time to listen, you will not hear those precious whispers of love.

Are you listening?

“If ever you were willing to listen, listen now!” (Matt. 11:15 TLB)

Each day you walk out your door into the elements of the outside world, you dress appropriately, right?

…shorts in the heat of summer
…sweater or jacket in the cool fall
…boots and heavy coat in the cold and snow of winter
…umbrella in the spring rain

You wouldn’t think of going out naked, well, I hope you wouldn’t anyway. You need appropriate covering.

And when you dress, especially for church, a party, or a wedding, you put on the appropriate garments, the best, clean clothes you have, right?

What about a bride? Would you consider her appropriately dressed for her grand day of aisle-walking if she were dressed as a frog, or Ronald McDonald, or perhaps in a nun’s habit? Silly, huh?

How about if her beautiful, pristine bridal gown were covered in mud or big blotches of stains? Would she be appropriately dressed? Would she want to greet her beloved in that condition? Heavens, no! A bride is immaculately dressed in the proper wedding attire, looking her absolute best for her bridegroom on their wedding day.

The Bible says, “Be prepared – all dressed and ready.” (Luke 12:35 TLB) While this is great advice for the flesh, it is even more appropriate and of utmost importance for the spirit.

Is the Bride of Christ dressed in her bridal finery and ready for Her day of divine marriage?

That’s you! If you are a Christian, you are part of the Bride of Christ. So, how will you be dressed? How will you appear to your Beloved when He comes for you? Will you have a mopey face, hair covered in the ashes of doubt and worry, breath smelling of negative words, and be wearing a ratty, old wedding gown of self-pity, ripped and full of the stains and dirt of the world?

What muddies or stains the Bride’s pristine garment? Doubt, worry, unbelief, strife, unforgiveness, murmuring, complaining, hypocrisy, bitterness, judging, gossip, speaking against others, lying, adultery, fornication, idolatry, hatred, selfish ambitions, envy, stealing, cheating, filthy language, covetousness, pride, impure thoughts and lust, internet porn, other addictions, or anything else that grieves the Holy Spirit?

Have these things diverted Her focus from Her Bridegroom? Has She forgotten to think about Her behavior and how it reflects on His Name and on His Home? Has She forgotten that the One Who created Her is joined to Her in the holy oneness of the covenant of divine marriage? God said, “Who are you…that you should forget the Lord your Maker? …For your Maker is your Husband.” (Is. 51:12,13, 54:5 Amp)

When the Father gives the Bridegroom the go-ahead to snatch away His Bride, you will not be afforded the luxury of having time to take a shower, change your clothes, or even look back and say goodbye. This will be an instant come-as-you-are party. Will your robe of betrothal be unspotted and ready for you to meet your Bridegroom?

So, if you knew tomorrow was your last day on earth, how would it affect your behavior today? Are you, as they say, good to go? Are you “a bride beautifully dressed for her husband,” (Rev. 21:2 NIV) adorned with a smile on your face, joy in your heart, songs of worship and praise on your lips, and dressed in a pure, white garment of holy betrothal?

I want to be good to go. I want to keep my divine wedding gown cleansed and ready, because I anxiously await my Bridegroom’s appearance, to see Him for myself, to see the One John the Revelator saw, the One “dressed in a robe reaching down to His feet and with a golden sash around His chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance…When I saw Him, I fell down at His feet like a dead man.” (Rev. 1: 13-16 NIV, 1:17 GNB)

In that day, I shall look upon Him, and my “eyes will see the King in His beauty,” (Is. 33:17a NKJV) and I shall fall down at His feet and worship Him.

“Behold, the bridegroom cometh!” (Matt. 25:6b KJV)

How will you be dressed?

What makes us, as Christians, stand out from the crowd? Do we look like the world?

Christians are to stand out and make a difference, in a positive way, of course. But are we doing it? Are we distinct, in any way, or divergent in the manner in which we run our lives or our businesses from the way the world runs their lives and businesses? Or do we just blend in with everyone else?

At a young age, Jesus declared, “I must be about My Father’s business,” (Luke 2:49 NKJV) in other words, the affairs of His Father, all those matters that pertain to the activities and establishment of the Kingdom.

If Jesus’ mission involved all that pertained to the working of His Father’s Kingdom, then we need to learn to function in, take care of, and promote those same concerns. What kind of “business partners” or “sales reps” are we?

So, let’s look at it as a parable…

God is the Owner, the Proprietor, the Manufacturer, and the Repair Department of His establishment. His Son ran the business for a while. However, He had to go on a long business trip and, in His absence, He transferred His authority and power to His beloved by signing the company policy over to her in blood. Leaving her in charge as the administrator of all His work, He commissioned her to act in His Name and invest on His behalf.

Using her authority, the Bride is to run the Kingdom’s business, to watch the store, to be in charge of maintenance, to supervise the workers, to keep an eye on overhead, to replenish inventory, and to do all according to the Owner’s business plan that the Kingdom business might grow.

How then is the Bride living up to her duty and responsibility? How is she spending her time while waiting for her Beloved Bridegroom to appear? Is she equipping herself? Is she a good manager of the Kingdom’s business? Well, let’s see.

Her schedule is so full of forty million activities that she doesn’t have time to read her handbook with her job description, and, consequently, she doesn’t even know how to behave on the job.

She is negligent to exercise her authority and to uphold the duties of her position. Her management skills are less than desirable, as she fails to keep an eye on her salespeople, for some are no longer persons of ethical character.

She lost the ability to manage the cash register and debt proliferates from her multiplicity of credit cards. Her advertising lacks appeal and promotes her own name. Her public relations people sometimes use questionable tactics, turning others away from the benefits of the business.

Her business practices are no different from anyone else’s. No longer seen as upright in character, she looks the same, talks the same, and acts the same as her competitors, who just laugh at her hypocrisy.

Her job is in jeopardy, for she is slowly forfeiting her business rights and she doesn’t even realize what she is losing. She is lax in asserting her influence, so the opposition flourishes while she is out on a coffee break.

Will the tactics of her biggest competitor cause the company to go bankrupt before she sits up and takes notice? Will he seize the property, rendering the business inoperable?

What is she to do? It’s simple. She needs to follow the Manufacturer’s Instruction Manual! The Owner left it for her to read. Why doesn’t she follow it?

After telling one of His parables, Jesus asked Peter, “Who then is the faithful, thoughtful, and wise servant, whom his master has put in charge of his household to give to the others the food and supplies at the proper time?” (Matt. 24:45 AMP)

The Lord asks the same of each of us, “Are you a wise and faithful servant of the Lord? Have I given you the task of managing My household, to feed my children day by day? Blessings on you if I return and find you faithfully doing your work. I will put such faithful ones in charge of everything I own!” (Matt. 24:45-47 TLB)

On the other hand, Jesus said that the “servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes… For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.” (Luke 12:47, 48b NKJV)

And this servant’s penalty for being unprepared? God will “appoint him his portion with the hypocrites,” (Matt. 24:51b NKJV) for “it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.” (1 Cor. 4:2 NKJV)

Are you faithful and daring enough to stand out as a different Christian?

~~Blessings, Lynn~~

“I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” (Is. 61:10 NKJV)

He shuffled his feet and wiped his sweaty palms on his jacket. His face twitched, producing a peculiar, cockeyed smile. Then, the bride began her promenade down the aisle, and the groom’s whole body radiated with delight.

They were so anxious to look their best for each other. All decked out in their wedding finery, he, fit to meet the bride; she, fit to meet the bridegroom.

As I sat in the chapel praying for them, the thought occurred to me: Jesus is fit and ready to meet me, His Bride, but am I fit and ready to meet Him, my Bridegroom?

If Jesus died that the church, His bride, might be “without spot or wrinkle or any other defect - holy and unblemished” (Eph. 5:27a Weymouth), then she is to “Be prepared - all dressed and ready - for (her) Lord’s return,” (Luke 12:35-36a TLB).

But when the heavenly Bridegroom arrives, will she be dressed in an old rag, spotted with worldly residue? Or will she be “a bride beautifully dressed for her husband” (Rev. 21:2 NIV), in a spotless gown of holiness?

Will He radiate with delight in you, His bride?

PRAYER: Lord, You loved me enough to die to give me a pure wedding garment of holiness. May I love You enough to keep that gown unsullied from the world and meet You in holiness on Your return. May I be continually dressed and ready to go at a moment’s notice. Amen!

“So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him.” (2 Peter 3:14 NIV)

~~Blessings, Lynn~~

He shuffled his feet and wiped his sweaty palms on his jacket. His face twitched, producing a peculiar, cockeyed smile.

Then, the bride began her promenade down the aisle, and the groom’s whole body radiated with delight. They were so anxious and concerned to look their best for each other. All decked out in their wedding finery, he, fit to meet the bride; she, fit to meet the bridegroom.

As I sat in the chapel praying for them, the thought occurred to me: Jesus is fit and ready to meet me, His Bride, but am I fit and ready to meet Him, my Bridegroom? Am I anxious and concerned about the way I am dressed for my divine wedding day? Will He recognize me?

Would you recognize the bride if she came down the aisle dressed as a rabbit, or in a diving suit, or perhaps in a nun’s habit? No, of course not. She would be totally out of place. A bride is dressed in the proper wedding attire and you recognize her the minute you see her, because she has donned her bridal finery.

If Jesus died that the church, His bride, might be without spot or wrinkle or any other defect, then, as part of the Bride, how am I dressed? When the heavenly Bridegroom arrives, will I be dressed in an old rag, spotted with worldly residue? Or will I be a bride beautifully dressed for her Husband in a spotless gown of holiness?

What am I doing to keep myself pure and holy, ready to have my Bridegroom carry me across that heavenly threshold? Will He radiate with delight in me, as His bride? If you have ever been to a wedding, you know all eyes are watching the bride, but I always love to watch the groom.

Just to see the expression on his face, changing from one of nervous disaster to one of pure delight. Love beams from his face, as his precious bride gracefully heads in his direction. The glint in his eye.

And, if you were to look very closely into his eyes, you would see that the glint is her reflection. I ask you…Do you wish be dressed in that pure gown of holiness when you Bridegroom comes calling for you? Will He recognize you? Will you be the reflection in His eyes? Will you be a ready bride?

Lord, Your love spanned the ages, knowing one day I would say “yes” to Your proposal and receive my pure wedding garment of holiness. May I love You enough in return to keep that gown unsullied from the world and meet You in holiness on the day of Your return. May I be that precious reflection in Your eyes and may I be continually dressed and ready to go at a moment’s notice. Amen!