**This is part of a bridal series I am writing for the South Texas Women’s Blog during the month of November**
“As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.” (Isaiah 62:5 NIV)
Six weeks ago I began working in an appointment-only bridal salon. Our small staff spends day after day with brides and their various accoutrements; gowns, veils, petticoats and jewelry. As consultants, we walk with our brides almost a full year; from gown selection, through multiple fittings, bridal portraits, and ultimately to their wedding day. If they are planning a destination wedding, we will even professionally pack their gown and accessories for them. I like to tell our new brides, “This is the beginning of a beautiful relationship, we’re here to help every step of the way.”
I’d like to begin our time together with thought from author Paul David Tripp. In his book, New Morning Mercies, he suggests we are all brides in a broken world, being readied for a flawless future. His insight resonated with my salon experience.
We tend to imagine brides bursting with joy, bouncing into the salon with happy plans abounding. While this is sometimes the case, many more of our brides come in burdened by the cares of life. They may be fifteen years into a common-law marriage and their reluctant partner has finally proposed. They might be weeping from the loss of a parent who passed before they could be given away. They may be locked in a power struggle with a member of their wedding party. They may have significant body image issues. Brides are human beings, bearing the image of God but wearing the world as well.
Though these women are preparing for their wedding, what I see as a consultant is so far from the perfection we come to expect when we envision a wedding. Saying ‘yes’ to the dress often comes with strings attached.
The effects of the Fall are profound. Brokenness seeps into every corner of our existence. It’s blight is pervasive and dampening. Yet scripture insists, as believers we are a bride preparing for her groom. Our Savior is coming to collect us and He’s anticipating His intended without spot or wrinkle.
So we prepare.
Only we don’t hire a wedding coordinator or schedule a salon appointment to pick out a dress. We aren’t touring venues, selecting flowers or sampling cake. We aren’t writing vows or booking honeymoon flights.
Being the bride of Christ includes an altogether different kind of preparation. We surrender our hearts to divine rearrangement. We learn to die to self and starve our flesh. We daily peer into the mirror of scripture and as the text identifies every flag of our fallen nature, we cooperate in transformation. We invite the Spirit to infill and alter, slowly remaking us into a bride worthy of bearing our groom’s name.
As we prepare, we refuse to give up and in to the brokenness that endlessly attempts to engulf us all. We tie our hearts to heaven and the fervent hope of a wedding date scribbled on an unseen calendar. We keep our lamps trimmed ready for the bridegroom’s return. We cooperate with the Kingdom as He makes His sovereignty known through us.
"Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!" (Matthew 25:6 NIV)"Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given to her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God's holy people.) (Revelation 19:7-8 NIV)
Lord, forgive us for growing weary amidst the brokenness we encounter every day. Fill us afresh with Your Spirit. Soothe our souls with the promise of Your return. Prod our hearts toward preparation. Remake us into a pure and spotless bride thrilled about her approaching day. Amen.