For some reason as I write this article, I find myself thinking about a wedding that is coming up in November on the 18th. As most of you know my daughter Hailey is getting married to her fiancée Ryan that afternoon at 2pm. You are all welcome to join us at the pavilion and I would greatly appreciate your prayers for good weather that day as she would really like to have her wedding at that beautiful facility and setting. I am excited for her as she embarks on this next journey in her life, and I pray she and Ryan will keep God first and grow closer to Christ as they grow closer to one another. Marriage is an institution that God created and ordained and it is something that we should take seriously and realize that we are making a covenant/commitment before Him.
It is interesting that God chose marriage as an illustration of the church’s relationship with Christ. We are the church; we are the bride of Christ and He is our bridegroom. He is faithful and always will be faithful. Sadly, we are too often like Gomer was to Hosea. If you recall the story, Gomer was not faithful to Hosea and would prostitute herself. In an amazing picture of God’s love for us, Hosea went to her and restored her to himself. I can’t wrap my head around a love so great and so forgiving.
God loves me that way. When I do something sinful and dumb or say something sinful and dumb God doesn’t give up on me. He renews me and restores me when I am willing to admit my sin and confess it. I am thankful that I feel the coviction of the Holy Spirit when I sin because that reminds me that I belong to Jesus. I pray that I would never become calloused to sin and suddenly be comfortable continuing in sin. Sin is destructive and God has a reason for telling is the truth about sin. God is not trying to keep you from something good He is keeping you from something deadly.
Remember that your bridegroom is Jesus and seek to live in such a way that you are as faithful to Him as He is to you. I know, I know, He is perfect, and we will never live up to that level but we can strive to live in the middle of His will each day. Seek Him at the start of the day and ask Him to let you walk with Him and in step with Him throughout your day. Part of marriage is leaving others to cling to your spouse only. Part of our relationship with Christ is to leave the world and cling to Him. He will keep us close if we keep our eyes focused on Him.
