Like a Bride Waiting For Her Groom

Please watch this video before you read this blog post. It seriously gives me chills and makes me jump up and down and cry happy tears. 

I never truly understood the beautiful analogy of the church being Christ's bride until I got engaged. 

The waiting.

The expectation.

The excitement.

The joy. 

The anticipation.

The longing to be held in the arms of my groom.

Being a follower of Christ now takes on a whole new meaning! My Lover, my Friend, my Redeemer. 

The One I want to hold me in his arms and never let go.

The only One I ever truly need to love me for eternity. 

the One. 

my Groom. 

As I am preparing my heart to be married to my earthly groom, Matthew, I am full of anticipation. Just simply living with him and sharing this gift of life together is going to seriously be the best thing ever. I have been exercising to present myself to him in my best shape possible. I have been learning how to cook and collecting recipes to be the best wife I can be. I have made hair appointments, bought a dress, and have been preparing my heart to submit to Matthews leadership as the husband. 

"Like a bride 

waiting for her Groom

we'll be a church 

ready for you. "

These lyrics really got me thinking... if I am preparing myself physically, mentally, and spiritually for my earthly husband, how much more should I be preparing myself for my heavenly Husband who is coming to get His bride?!

As I think about this beautiful scenario I can't help but imagine it in the way I see my wedding going in my little church. Except Jesus is the groom..... I was just a girl in tattered rags, dirty from head to toe, clinging onto my pride and my sin. And He saw me and picked me up, and loved me despite of my spitting in His face. Then He went through torture and died on a cross so that He could present me blameless before His Father. He removed my dirty rags, washed me clean, and gave me this beautiful white wedding dress. And now He is standing at the front of the church...and I'm waiting behind the closed church doors..watching for them to open so I can walk that aisle and be with Him for eternity. And I dare not leave my spot. Not for any temporary satisfaction. Not for any person. Not for anything. I am waiting on my groom. 

"Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the prudent, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the prudent answered, 'No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. -- -----Matthew 25:1-10

I am waiting for my earthly groom to marry me (70 more days!!!) But I long even more for my heavenly Groom to come and get me. My deepest desire is to be READY. I am longing for my King.

 More than anything this world can give me. 

More than anything Matthew can give me.

 More than Matthew.

God we wait for you,

You're coming soon.

Even so come, 

Lord Jesus come.