March 15, 2000

Lesson for March 26



LIFE & WORK SERIES:
A wedding is the perfect
symbol for Christ's return
___ Revelation 19:6-21
___By Debra Hochgraber
___Women's Evangelism Consultant, BGCT, Dallas
___"Let us rejoice and be glad ... for the wedding of the Lamb has come" (verse 7).
___Here is something I do know about--weddings. You see, I was mother of the bride this past summer. Truly, a wedding is the perfect symbol for the Lord to choose to give us a glimpse of the joyousness of his son's return, as well as a reminder of how Christ's return should impact the present.
___Mark came to Dennis' office to ask if he could marry Deanna. My husband was not surprised. We had prayed that if it be the Lord's will for our daughters to marry, they would wait for God's choice. We had been watching God's will unfold in this relationship. Their conversation revealed two very important things to Dennis. Mark's love for Deanna was even stronger than his need for her. And he would, one day, love her as much as her daddy did. That afternoon, in his heart, Dennis gave our first-born to Mark.
___The church is symbolized as the bride of Christ numerous times in Scripture. As the Lord performs his symbolic role as father of the bride, he can easily see the love of Christ for the church. Jesus was willing to give his life for her. The Father, in his heart, gave the bride to his son. Jesus responded, "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am" (John 17:24).
___During the engagement period, Deanna's basis for decision making took on a new dimension. Decisions related to her job, ministry involvement, leisure activities, even her hair style, were impacted by Mark's desires. She wanted to know how he felt, wanted their time together to be protected and wanted him to be proud of her.
___If we carry the symbolism a bit further, we know our groom is Christ. What are his desires? He asks us to "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind ... Love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:37, 39). "Go and make disciples of all nations ..." (Matthew 28:18). He asked his father, "I pray ... that all of them be one. ... May they be brought to complete unity" (John 17:20-21, 23).
___Do these desires impact the decisions we make concerning where we go, what we do, how we act, or what we say?
___"His bride has made herself ready" (Rev. 19:7). Do not underestimate the amount of time that takes! The church will be clothed in "the righteous acts of the saints" (verse 8).
___At the wedding, I stood to give the cue for the audience to stand in honor of the bride. All eyes turned to glimpse the father and his daughter as the doors opened. I knew the photographer would capture Deanna and Dennis. I looked at Mark. I wanted to see the bride through his eyes.
___Jesus, on your return, may you see a bride who has made herself ready.

Send this story to a friend

---

Contents/ Masthead / Why We're Here / Links / Archive / E-mail us/ SUBSCRIBE!