God impressed a perspective upon my heart some time ago while I was deep in troubled conversation with Him. Then, I was drifting away from Him, again enticed by the sickeningly sweet temptations of the world and of the flesh. And if I was the girl in the well-known Lifehouse music-sketch, then I too met with the final unholy character who presented and urged me to use the gun of renouncement, of renouncement of my relationship with God. God answered with a simple question:
Did I ever once consider and realise that my relationship with Him was a marriage?
I confess I was startled by that revelation because in truth, I have never ever thought of our relationship in such a manner. Yes, I have conducted and have been part of Bible studies that include the famous passage evoking the image of Christ as the bridegroom and the church as the bride, but no, the veil was never drawn for me to see the parallel in my life.. until then.
Now, I am not married, and I never was married in the terms of this world. So the amount and type of insight I have is limited, perhaps, to that of an "outsider". But what I write here, I write what the Good Lord has shown me thus far.
(Ideally) nobody enters into a marriage unless they knew what they were getting themselves into. They may not have sufficient foresight to anticipate what specifically lies ahead, both the good times and the troubling ones, but they will at least make sure that they know whom they are marrying.
After countless dates, going someplace special or just hanging out and talking "about yourselves, about your interests, your likes and dislikes" (Disney's Enchanted, 2007), both parties finally gather sufficient information about each other, and upon making sense of their emotions and feelings towards one another, then decide together whether or not to enter into a marriage.
This process of getting-to-know is long and riddled with complications and hurt sometimes. But it is crucial nonetheless because marriage is not something to be taken lightly or to be trifled with.
It is serious and binding and, in the eyes of God, holy.
It is a promise not meant to be broken, for the Lord frowns upon divorce (maybe save one particular circumstance of adultery in Matthew 5:32).
Likewise, we the church, as the lover of the beloved, as the bride of the groom, Christ our Saviour, we must not take our relationship with God lightly. Our professed faith and following is our marriage certificate; we are the wife of Christ our Husband. Gone are the days of restless flitting about and flirting with suitors and idols for we have found the best and the most worthy, one whose wooing we have submitted to and unto whom we have pledged our continued companionship and love.
So enter into this sacred relationship in sober consciousness,
knowing full well what you are doing.
Utter the binding vows with full knowledge and understanding,
knowing your Husband, His character, statutes and works.
And uphold and commit to live out your days in faithful holy matrimony with God.
"Let marriage be held in honour among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous."
~ Hebrews 13:4
Did I ever once consider and realise that my relationship with Him was a marriage?
I confess I was startled by that revelation because in truth, I have never ever thought of our relationship in such a manner. Yes, I have conducted and have been part of Bible studies that include the famous passage evoking the image of Christ as the bridegroom and the church as the bride, but no, the veil was never drawn for me to see the parallel in my life.. until then.
Now, I am not married, and I never was married in the terms of this world. So the amount and type of insight I have is limited, perhaps, to that of an "outsider". But what I write here, I write what the Good Lord has shown me thus far.
(Ideally) nobody enters into a marriage unless they knew what they were getting themselves into. They may not have sufficient foresight to anticipate what specifically lies ahead, both the good times and the troubling ones, but they will at least make sure that they know whom they are marrying.
After countless dates, going someplace special or just hanging out and talking "about yourselves, about your interests, your likes and dislikes" (Disney's Enchanted, 2007), both parties finally gather sufficient information about each other, and upon making sense of their emotions and feelings towards one another, then decide together whether or not to enter into a marriage.
This process of getting-to-know is long and riddled with complications and hurt sometimes. But it is crucial nonetheless because marriage is not something to be taken lightly or to be trifled with.
It is serious and binding and, in the eyes of God, holy.
It is a promise not meant to be broken, for the Lord frowns upon divorce (maybe save one particular circumstance of adultery in Matthew 5:32).
Likewise, we the church, as the lover of the beloved, as the bride of the groom, Christ our Saviour, we must not take our relationship with God lightly. Our professed faith and following is our marriage certificate; we are the wife of Christ our Husband. Gone are the days of restless flitting about and flirting with suitors and idols for we have found the best and the most worthy, one whose wooing we have submitted to and unto whom we have pledged our continued companionship and love.
So enter into this sacred relationship in sober consciousness,
knowing full well what you are doing.
Utter the binding vows with full knowledge and understanding,
knowing your Husband, His character, statutes and works.
And uphold and commit to live out your days in faithful holy matrimony with God.
"Let marriage be held in honour among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous."
~ Hebrews 13:4
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