The Betrothal and Wedding to Come!

Imagine for a moment you are engaged to the most wonderful man. He has all the qualities you have ever dreamed of and all the things you could never dream, because he is so wonderful. He prizes you greatly and loves you unconditionally! You love him more every day as you know him more every day.

You imagine your life with him! You plan and dream of growing old and all the many wonderful things you will do together!

But what if I were to tell you he was not with you. He had to go away until your wedding day and still then you had no idea when your wedding would be. All you want to do is be with him and he wants to be with you. You have nothing of his to keep safe other than some poetry, letters, and instructions he has given you for preparation for your wedding. You know you can call him anytime and he will listen to the funny things that happen to you or the things that are overwhelming, but it's just not the same as him being in the same room and him offering an actual shoulder to cry on.

The days seem long. Yet time slips by fast. And you just miss him.

And then one day he calls and sends a ticket for you to meet him!!!

Or maybe he shows up unannounced and gives you the happiest surprise you could ever imagine!!!

You don't miss him now. And actually waiting for him made it all the more sweeter when you could finally be with him. And now you live happily ever after, discovering all the wonders between husband and bride.

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 A beautiful tale. Yet this story is not fictional. You and I are in the middle of this story as you read this post. Now you might be thinking, "Wait, does Abby know something I don't know? I'm not engaged!"

Yes, you are! 

That is, if you are a part of Christ's church. The Bible identifies Christ as a Bridegroom.

"Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready"
Revelations 19:7


We are in a state of engagement with Christ as we wait for His return. Whenever I go to a wedding, the big moment is when the bride walks in. Everyone watches the bride in all her splendor, but my favorite person to watch is the groom. His face explains it all. Can you imagine Christ as an excited bridegroom? Anticipating His wedding and trusting His Father as to when the day shall come!

As in the story above, Christ has left "poetry, letters, songs, and instructions he has given you for preparation for your wedding." It is all contained in the Bible. As brides-to-be that are away from our  fiancés, we must hold tight, cherish, and live by what He has left us.

In days of old, a man seeking a wife would have to pay a bride price to the father. Christ has done this for us! He paid the price for us by His death and resurrection! Today and every day, you are preparing for your wedding. Let your excitement bubble over as engaged couples often do!!! Keep cherishing your Bridegroom's words and tell the world about your wedding to come!

(In memory of Dalta Garret. We will greatly miss her, but rejoice in the knowledge she is no longer parted from her Bridegroom.
Happy Home-going, Dalta!)