All About the Bride
As many of you know, I know several couples getting married, have been to multiple weddings, and by the end of the summer will have had the honor of being bridesmaids in two of them. That's lots of time thinking about weddings. (I swear, if one more person asks if I have my wedding planned, I may want to strangle something though....). With all the hoopla in the news about the SCOTUS ruling on Marriage, well, it's been in my thoughts a lot more than usual.
A little over a month ago, I got to be a bridesmaid in the wedding of two of my friends. Instead of doing the traditional songs for their wedding music, they did music that reflected their styles a bit more, and I have to say, it worked out really well. I really really liked the song she chose to walk down the aisle to: (Listen, don't watch the video). It's magical, and it was doubly so on the day of the wedding.
But at the rehearsal, as her father was walking her down the aisle, I was struck with a thought. "It's all about the bride." Many of you are probably saying "Um, duh?" But hear me out. Talking to my friends who are getting married, seeing all the time, planning, sweat, tears, and effort that go into the actual execution of the wedding, I don't think the wedding is for the bride as everyone says. But it is about the bride. She is the one adorned in white, she is the one the congregation rises to greet, she is the one with all the finery, who spends hours beforehand getting ready. She is the one everyone wants to see.
And this is as it should be. Marriage on earth is but an image of the wedding to come in heaven. And you know what? It is magical, it is beautiful... and it will be all about us - the bride. Throughout the New Testament, we are called the Bride of Christ: He clearly says that the marriage relationship is like that of Christ and the Church. Jesus tells us he goes to prepare a house, then he will come back to us.
My friends, WE ARE HIS BRIDE!
A little over a month ago, I got to be a bridesmaid in the wedding of two of my friends. Instead of doing the traditional songs for their wedding music, they did music that reflected their styles a bit more, and I have to say, it worked out really well. I really really liked the song she chose to walk down the aisle to: (Listen, don't watch the video). It's magical, and it was doubly so on the day of the wedding.
But at the rehearsal, as her father was walking her down the aisle, I was struck with a thought. "It's all about the bride." Many of you are probably saying "Um, duh?" But hear me out. Talking to my friends who are getting married, seeing all the time, planning, sweat, tears, and effort that go into the actual execution of the wedding, I don't think the wedding is for the bride as everyone says. But it is about the bride. She is the one adorned in white, she is the one the congregation rises to greet, she is the one with all the finery, who spends hours beforehand getting ready. She is the one everyone wants to see.
And this is as it should be. Marriage on earth is but an image of the wedding to come in heaven. And you know what? It is magical, it is beautiful... and it will be all about us - the bride. Throughout the New Testament, we are called the Bride of Christ: He clearly says that the marriage relationship is like that of Christ and the Church. Jesus tells us he goes to prepare a house, then he will come back to us.
My friends, WE ARE HIS BRIDE!
At another set of friends weddings, the lady next to me commented during the slideshow before the wedding, "Look at how he adores her." And sure enough, all the pictures seemed to radiate the love he felt for her. The wedding itself was made so much more beautiful by being able to watch that joy, that adoration on his face as he espoused himself to his bride. This is how Jesus loves us - with total adoration. He gazes upon us with expressions of love as we journey to Him, as we speak our vows each and every day, and he draws us close to embrace us and join with us on that day.
When we are brought before the Throne of Heaven, it will not be as a servant, nor as a serf. It will be as His Beloved. That day will be all about us. Jesus left His heavenly throne and seeks only union with each and every one of us. He has promised to bring her to Himself, and all of heaven will rejoice in the greatest wedding of all - ours!
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