Watching Pt 2

  My daughter was the flower girl in my cousin’s wedding this year. In my eyes, this wedding receives the “wedding of the year” award. It was carefully planned for a whole year. From the engagement pictures to the bridal shower, to the flowers,     the cake,  the day of  groom-bride gifts, to the reception and rehearsal, it was PLANNED and then EXECUTED with precision. I think the bride and groom can look back with wonderful memories of their exquisitely special day.

    Have you ever thought what the wedding banquet will look like when Christ returns for US, His BRIDE? Can you even picture yourself as the Bride of Christ? Well, believe it you shall, and think on it you must, for it is TRUE!

    Revelation 19:6-8: “Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar or rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: ‘Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear. (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)’”

    Have you ever thought that events in this life are preparing us for Heaven? I don’t mean physical things like houses and cars and clothes. But spiritual things like, hardships, struggles, disappointments, death, divorce, broken hearts, etc  do a work in our hearts with the goal of purification. One day, when our work here is completed, we will meet Jesus at the other end of that isle. We will leave behind all flesh and bones and finally be united in perfect purity to our Creator. I believe that’s what the meaning of “his bride has made herself ready.” We talked about being prepared for his coming, and what  that looks like. One way, is to allow the trials in life to purify ourself.

    1 Peter 1:3-7: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade – kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kind of trials. These have come so that you faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

    My favorite part of that verse is that my faith is of greater worth to God than gold. He will go to any lengths  to refine me until I’m proved genuine. I see that as the getting ready process for the wedding banquet to come! In today’s world, 1 year is along time to wait and plan the wedding ceremony. Preparations beckon, and great expectations await. However, The Lamb of God invites US to a wedding ceremony that will surpass it all!

    Revelation 22:17 “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.”

    Are you ready?