The Bride's Gaze - Friday June 26, 2015
Cry aloud and shout for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 12:6
Have you ever seen a bride admiring her own dress as she walks down the aisle, looking down at it the whole way? Of course not! During this wedding season, if you get to watch a radiant bride walk down the aisle, follow her gaze to discover the source of her joy. Is her joy coming from her dress, the guests, the flowers? The only reason these bring a little joy is because they are subsets of the main event-which is the bride getting married! Married to someone who is (hopefully) wonderful! She gazes at her lover.
Which brings us to the true source of the bride's radiant smile and deep excitement. Her joy comes from seeing her groom at the end of the aisle! She believes him to be a man of good character, worthy of a lifetime together, and the day to be with him is finally here.
Do you want joy? Don't look to your own goodness as your source of joy. That's like staring down at your wedding dress. And don't look to church worship celebrations for your sole source of joy. They're merely subsets designed to celebrate the main event-which is that Jesus has made you His bride. He died to give you purity and has invited you to live with Him forever. Gaze at the groom! Read Isaiah 12 and Psalm 45. Bask in the good character of your forever groom. He is your strength and your salvation. He's full of grace and splendor! (By the way, did you notice the groom's eyes? He's gazing at the bride with desire and love! That's you!)
Submitted by:
Rita Bergen
Cornerstone Community Church
Overland Park, Kansas
One-Year Reading Plan:
2 Kings 9:14-10:31
Acts 17:1-34
Psalms 144:1-15
Proverbs 17:27-28
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