Da dunt da daaaaa
Da dunt da daaaaa
Da dunt da daaaaa dunt da daaa dunt da daaaaaa
Ahhh, the sounds of a wedding! Today there is no greater picture of love than the marriage ceremony. It is at and during this ceremony that you see two star-struck lovers gazing into each other's eyes, songs are sung, Scripture is read, and commitment is made! (Then hopefully food is consumed!) It is through this act of ceremony that two individuals lovingly submit themselves to their partner's needs. It is here that two individual lives end and one new life begins. Leaving and cleaving not knowing the future's struggles and pain nor its joys and successes! Both persons committing to the other for life to walk along side one anther through thick and thin.
Though an awkward setting for a wedding, I believe in Exodus 24 at the foothills of Mt Sinai, with Moses presiding, the nation of Israel was married to their God. The "I do's" were spoken, and the courtship was over. God has proven His intentions and love through His mighty deliverance from Egypt and the people had finally (albeit momentarily it seems!) responded and submitted to their Lord. God refers to this marriage imagery several times in the OT, Jeremiah 31:32 is an example.
For richer, for poorer... the stipulations were given. All were agreed. God had Himself a wife. But why?
Well for starters, He wanted some day to have a Son! For God is a holy God, and He plays by His own rules. To have a Son, He must have first a bride (and it took a nation to fill those shoes!) And later in the NT, we pick up the imagery of that Son being united to His own bride, the Church. So if you'd like, you can look at the Bible as the unfolding plot of two love stories; one of God and His Israel, and the other of Christ and His Church.
For our God is not a God who is far off, removed from our midst. Rather our God is a relational God, One who invites us into fellowship and life long commitment. A commitment in which He gives His all for the betterment of us. He was willing even to lay down His life to work all things for the good of those of us who believe. Marriage points us as a physical representation to the spiritual reality of our covenant relationship with our Maker, one in which we are asked to leave and cleave no longer to the world, but to Him. He designed us with that desire for relationship, not just earthly companionship, but ultimately for relationship with the greatest Companion, God Himself in Christ.
A question for you today. Are you still the onlooker at the wedding, or have you put on your wedding clothes and been united to the Love of your life? Christ offers to you life in Him, won't you be swayed by His offer of His hand in marriage?
3 comments:
Well, I must say this is a unique idea that I had never thought of. Marriage between God and His people...... I like it! Cleave only to the one. It's a special relationship for today and forever. We have always heard of Christ and His bride, the church and the special relationship they have. I like the provision that God has made for us Gentiles. Even though WE are not His bride, He still loves and cares for us. It makes me feel special.
Keep up the good work. --DJD
That is a very different way of thinking about the marriage of Christ to His Church and the presence of His Son.
I see I'm not the only one who tries to sing on Blogger...
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