Originally published Tuesday, 30 July 2013.
You know that look on a groom's face as he beholds his bride walk down the aisle?
Mmm hmm, that one. The one that silently speaks, "Behold loveliness. She is beautiful in every way." I adore watching the groom as he sees his new bride approaching the alter of marriage.
In attending many weddings, I always see this look on the groom's face. Nothing matches this moment. Everyone holds their breath as the doors swing open to reveal the bride in white. And what an emotional moment it is!
Read with me Isaiah 62:5:
Your children will commit themselves to you, O Jerusalem,
just as a young man commits himself to his bride.
Then God will rejoice over you
as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride.
To think that Christ rejoices over us as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride is mind-boggling to consider. You are delighted in at a level that exceeds human delight--it even exceeds the delight of your present or future spouse. At marriage ceremonies, I observed three "bridegroom gestures" that our God's delight greatly exceeds:
ONE: The look of adoration. Isaiah 62:5 depicts God's delight over His creation. Genesis 1:31 says that God deems His creation very good. He loves to look upon us with adoration.
TWO: The vow of faithfulness. "Never will I leave you; Never will I forsake you," God says, in Deuteronomy 31:6. As a bridegroom pledges his faithfulness to his bride, so God promises that His faithfulness stretches to the skies and endures forever.
THREE: The sweeping-away to a new life. I love when the bridegroom takes his new bride away, as they begin their new life together. Jesus says in John 14 that He goes before us to prepare a place for us! We are a new creation, given eternal identity when we join together with Jesus (Galatians 6:15).
The Lord delights in you! Embrace this aspect of your eternal identity today.
What other aspects of the marriage ceremony mirror God's delight? Which are your favorite parts?
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