Legendary Wedding

Some dream about them--those to come as well as those that have passed. Some avoid them.  Some refuse to participate in them.  Some want to be a part of them. Some want to redefine them. Some want theirs to finally come...or finally be over. 

Weddings usually illicit some kind of emotional reaction.

Well, the other day I was thinking about weddings.  A specific wedding as a matter of fact.  I was studying ancient Jewish weddings.  The Bible is full of them.  Jesus performed His first miracle at a wedding--against His wishes I might add.  (The fact that He did it because His mother asked Him too is pretty cool in this mother's opinion!)

But that wasn't the wedding that had caught my attention.  It was the "Wedding of the Lamb" in Revelation that had me thinking about weddings.

I was studying an old tradition, when I found a new thought. 

When I found this new thought I couldn't help but share it with my husband and son.  Obviously from the reception I received when I told them I wanted to tell them what I had found, weddings were not high on their priority list.  And weddings may not occupy your mind today. 

But will you humor me and let me share my thought?

In the Jewish tradition, the person who shows the most joy at a wedding is the groom. Now, before your mind starts jumping to conclusions about why he is so joyous...just rest on the fact that the groom is the most joyous participant.  In the Jewish community this fact was even labeled legendary according to what I read.

Now consider that God often refers to believers as the church.  He is also the one that has orchestrated the final preparations for this wedding feast in heaven. The church is the bride at this final wedding feast. She will be beautifully adorned.  Radiant. 

And Jesus Christ is the groom.

So here is the new thought that had me so excited I just had to tell you--you may be way ahead of me and have already thought this, but it was new to me:

I have often let my mind run wild with Mercy Me and Amy Grant as I sang with them I Can Only Imagine.  But not once in my wildest imagination, did I ever picture Jesus being more demonstratively joyous about my being there than I was about finally reaching that holy of holies heavenly alter. 

...as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride,
so will your God rejoice over you.

Isaiah 62:5b