Worship

“No Fear In Love” by Steffany Gretzinger

Scripture

“All glorious is the princess within her chamber; her gown is interwoven with gold. In embroidered garments she is led to the king; her virgin companions follow her— those brought to be with her. Led in with joy and gladness, they enter the palace of the king.” -Psalm 45:13-15, ESV

“Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” – Revelation 19:6-9, ESV

“Gather the people. Consecrate the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber.” -Joel 2:16, ESV

The Bridegroom’s Promise to His Bride

Jesus ascended after His resurrection and said He was going to prepare a place for us and then would come and bring us home. Like the grooms in ancient Israel who would go and prepare a home for their brides-to-be, Jesus has been preparing your home. He is making a place fit for you, His glorious Bride. All of Heaven looks on as the Bridegroom fashions a place that will express His love and protection and abundance and favor and joy in what is His very best home, prepared for you.

Holy Spirit has been well at work, sanctifying and creating in us a desire to be this beautiful Bride, getting ready to be presented to her Bridegroom. He’s been stirring and urging and counseling and comforting and shepherding us to get ready for eternity. We have been learning that Earth is not our home, and the world is not our lover. Holy Spirit knows our tension, as we often fight to stay awake to listen to the coming of our Bridegroom. Holy Spirit knows that life has tattered and torn the garments of the Bride, so continually we are being reminded of our priestly and kingly garments given to us because of the cross of Christ. Holy Spirit is busy with our bridal preparations, making sure we are each ready for this wedding day that is coming so very soon.

The Wedding Day of the Lamb

The doors that have been shut will open with a trumpet sound, and the Bride will meet Jesus in the air. The wedding of the Lamb is being prepared, where we will feast and celebrate our eternal union with Jesus. This glorious Bride will be given to Him as His great inheritance. The very Bride He suffered and bled and died for will be presented to Him, spotless and without blemish because of His precious blood.

Can you hear the church bells ringing? Can you hear the hush of Heaven as all stand on tiptoes in anticipation of this soon-coming moment? Can you even imagine the the angels’ joyous excitement and worship? I wonder what the eyes of the great cloud of witnesses look like—wide-eyed and tear-stained, I can imagine, as all of them intercede in our preparations.

The clock is ticking to our wedding day, glorious Bride of Christ!

Questions for the Bride’s Heart

With this reality of a soon-coming King, I have to ask myself these questions:

• Am I ready? Have I cut ties with a love affair with the world and anything that keeps my heart from Jesus?
• In utter humility, do I long and hunger for Jesus as the only One who can fill me? Is my Bridegroom enough for me?
• Are there still people around me who don’t know Jesus yet? If He comes, will they remain here to endure great suffering? Have I seized every opportunity to share the good news of the gospel of grace?
• Am I storing up my treasures in Heaven or seeking to build safety and security here on Earth that I will not be taking with me when He comes?
• Am I living for Him or for me?

I was making my bed yesterday morning and had a very sobering thought. I am fully convinced that Jesus is coming soon—like really soon. And the bottom fell out from under me on this reality. If He is coming soon, what do I need to accomplish for eternity while I still have a tiny bit of time? I think of my neighbors who do not know Jesus. Can I just bury my pride and dignity and go share the most life-changing news ever with them? I go thousands of miles away to do this, but I can’t walk across the street? God, please teach us to number our days that we may gain hearts of wisdom to know the times and seasons to make sure our lamps are filled with oil.

An Earthly Picture of the Heavenly Wedding

My daughter, Emily, gets married in four days. She has done what she has known to do to get ready for the day she has dreamed of since she was a little girl. She is cooperating with the spiritual and emotional preparations and maturation required for the transition into married life. Her dress is elaborate, her body is perfectly toned, her guests are all coming, the bridal party is dressed in gold, her mom and dad are sort of ready, and even the dog is getting groomed for the big day. Patrick, her groom-to-be, has been finding their place to live and has been working to be able to take good care of His bride. This day will come, and she will be glorious. Then she will spend her life with Patrick, maneuvering through the ups and down of living in the human experience with her groom. Although she is planning for this wedding day, what matters is the preparations of all the days and weeks and years afterwards.

The Bride’s Eternal Purpose

This is our word for today! Wide-awake and with our lamps filled with oil, we are planning to see our returning Bridegroom. It will be a glorious wedding day with Jesus! But we are planning for all of the days and years into eternity that will matter after that. I will be honest that I don’t know how that will all work, but we are urged in Scripture to set our hearts on eternity. What we do (the righteous acts of the saints) will matter in Heaven. Who we bring with us matters in Heaven. How we steward what He handed us in assignments and testing and giftings matter for eternity. He sees it all and knows it all and is faithful through it all. You have a Bridegroom who wants you to love Him more than all other things. You have a Bridegroom who was willing to lay His life down for you that you would have life in abundance. He’s the fullness of your life that fills every part in every way. He’s enough. He’s worth your surrender and your humility and your hunger for His presence.

A Prayer of Consecration for the Bride

Will you get down on your knees with me before the throne of grace and pray this prayer with me?

Jesus, I want to be satisfied with only You. I want to be a bride who is awake and longing to not only hear Your voice and feel Your heartbeat against mine but to live for our soon-coming wedding day. I repent of all the places in my life that I have filled with other lovers, other idols, justified sin, and unworthy distractions. Circumcise it all off—clean the slate of my heart and my story, so that I can fall deeper in love with You and am held back by nothing. I pray for glorious wedding garments to adorn my life. I pray that You would get me dressed and prepared for this coming wedding day. May I come before my King and Bridegroom with great longing and rejoicing because I have found the One my heart truly adores. Jesus, help me to be bold with the last days that I have to declare with great and joyous conviction that You are the One people have been searching for their whole lives. Help me to not hold back as I demonstrate and proclaim Your gospel so that Heaven would be filled through my life. Today, I ask for a fresh consecration of my life for Your sake, Lord. And I present myself as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to You, for Your glory. I am putting on my wedding shoes today, getting ready for the gates to swing wide, to welcome You, Jesus, when You return for me. Pour out Your Spirit on my life and on our nation and the nations, in the powerful name of Jesus. Maranatha, my Lord Jesus.