And We Lived Happily Ever After

My bride and I have been married 45 wonderful years. Our wedding day was the happiest day of my life. Marci’s beauty overwhelmed me then— and it still does!

We’ve had our struggles along the way but we knew from the start that a truly successful marriage would require tapping into a love greater than ours — the never-ending, overwhelming love of God.

God doesn’t have love. He is love. If anyone knows how to write a love story where the couple lives happily ever after, it’s Him.

Did you know the Bible is one epic love story from start to finish? The ending is the best part. The culmination of all of history will climax in one amazing, cosmic event that will surpass anything we could ever imagine. The wedding of the Lamb! Christ didn’t just die to save us from our sins. He wants to marry us!

Speaking of that glorious wedding day, the prophet Hosea wrote …

“When that day comes,” says the LORD, “you will call me ‘my husband’ instead of ‘my master.’ Hosea 2:16

Here again we see God always wanted a bride to love and spend eternity with.

“Long ago the LORD said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.” Jeremiah 31:3

“As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.” Isaiah 62:5

This is the heart of the gospel. God rejoices over His bride, the church. The Hebrew word there for rejoice is guwl, which means to spin around wildly with excitement and joy. Can you picture God twirling with delight over you? Amazing!

Because of the joy awaiting him he endured the cross. Hebrews 12:2.

The joy awaiting Jesus was His future bride! Jesus could see her as He hung on the cross, enduring excruciating pain. Jesus was literally dying to have an intimate relationship with us!

If dying for us wasn’t enough, God gives us the greatest wedding present ever, the gift of the Holy Spirit. He had to, for “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him.” Romans 8:9

So whether you are single or married, remember, “I belong to my beloved, and his desire is for me.”Song of Solomon 7:10

Jesus, thank You for desiring me and wanting me for Your bride. Open my eyes to the beauty You see when You look at me.

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 her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) Revelation 19:7,8