THE PERFECT BRIDEGROOM
(Part of a series sharing my devotional thoughts from almost two decades ago. For the back story & links to other posts, see the first post in the series.)
When I was a young girl, I dreamed of “Mr. Right” -- a
special someone who one day would find me and fall instantly in love with me, a
“knight on a white horse” who would sweep me off my feet with every romantic
gesture I’d ever read about. After a beautifully perfect wedding, he would
whisk me off on an ideal honeymoon and then carry me over the threshold of a big
house designed especially with me in mind. Did you ever have such fantasies?
I don’t know how yours turned out, but my dreams were
smashed. Instead of Mr. Right, I settled for Mr. Wrong. Rather than sweeping me
off my feet, he sent me cringing and crying into the other room. A dark sadness
overshadowed my beautiful wedding. The ideal honeymoon didn’t happen. And even
though I was happy with the small apartment rather than my dreamed-of big
house, even that would soon become filled with the pain of his abuse. My
fantasy had turned into a nightmare. I know this is true of many women -- maybe
even you.
Even if you are blessed with a wonderful husband, if you have been married any length of time you have discovered
that although he may be Mr. Right for you, he is far from being Mr. Perfect.
Humans have failings, and even the best of husbands are no exception!
But you know what? If you are a Christian you are part
of the bride of Christ. You have a perfect Bridegroom. Your “knight on a white
horse” is Jesus. Rev. 19:11, 16 make this clear: “And I saw heaven opened; and
behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True; and
in righteousness He judges and wages war....And on His robe and on His thigh He
has a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”
When the church is presented to Jesus as His bride
(and remember, if you are a Christian you are part of this bride), there will
be a wedding feast to end all wedding feasts. Rev. 19:7-9 says, “‘Let us
rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has
come and His bride has made herself ready.’ And it was given to her to clothe
herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous
acts of the saints. And he said to me, ‘Write, “Blessed are those who are
invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”’ And he said to me, ‘These are
true words of God.’”
Oh, how wonderful of God that among everything else
Jesus is to us, He is also our perfect Bridegroom. One time when I was feeling
overwhelmed with some things in my life, I sank into a chair for my quiet time,
leaned back, and through my tears cried out to Jesus, “Lord, I want to be what
you want me to be. I want to do what’s right. But I don’t even know where to
begin.” Immediately He spoke the answer to my heart: “Just love Me, and let Me
love you.” My heart rejoiced as I recognized the voice of my perfect Bridegroom
speaking to His beloved.
All of those desires to love and be loved that we feel
so deeply are from God, who first loved us (1 John 4:19). John 3:16 says that
God loved us so much, He sent Jesus, and that whoever believes on Jesus will be
saved. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
That unconditional love you’ve been looking for? It’s
already there, in Christ who died for you. You will only find that
unconditional love you’ve been looking for by inviting Jesus into your life. He
is waiting.
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