Have you ever noticed the way a groom looks at his bride during the wedding? I have. Perhaps it's my vantage point. As the minister of the wedding, I'm positioned next to the groom. By the time we reach the altar, I've been with him for some time backstage as he tugged his collar and mopped his brow. But all that changes when she appears. And the look on his face is my favorite scene in the wedding.
Most miss it. Most miss it because they are looking at her. But when other eyes are on the bride, I sneak a peek at the groom. If the light is just so and the angle just right, I can see a tiny reflection in his eyes. Her reflection. And the sight of her reminds him why he is here.
And such are precisely the feelings of Jesus. Look long enough into the eyes of our Savior and, there, too, you will see a bride. Dressed in fine linen. Clothed in pure grace. From the wreath in her hair to the clouds at her feet, she is royal; she is the princess. She is the bride. His bride. Walking toward him, she is not yet with him. But he sees her, he awaits her, he longs for her.
“Who could bear to live without her?” you hear him whisper.
And who is that bride? Who is this beauty who occupies the heart of Jesus?
You are. You have captured the heart of God. “As a man rejoices over his new wife, so your God will rejoice over you” (Isa. 62:5).
The challenge is to remember that. To meditate on it. To focus on it. To allow his love to change the way you look at you.
How broad and long, how high and deep, is Christ's love. - Ephesians 3:18
The love of God is difficult to comprehend on every level. Why would the great and mighty Creator of the universe care about us... no more than pinpoints from the cosmic perspective? We may never be able to answer that question fully, but what does it matter... the fact is He does!
Not only does He love us, but the Bible says He loves us individually, unconditionally, gently, intimately, eternally, closely, warmly, tenderly, protectively, and kindly. We are told that His love is deep and fervent. He is constantly watching over us, and we are always on His mind.
Many reject God's love because they don't feel they deserve it. But the Bible tells us that God knows we aren't deserving. His love is a gift... freely given rather than something that has been earned. He has made it available to every person... adult or child, man or woman. And it's free, though not cheap. God paid a very high price when He reached out to redeem us... the life of His only Son!
Have you experienced the love of God in a personal way? If not, open your heart and let Him fill it. Reach out and take hold of God's wonderful gift. It will change your life forever.
We took Friday and today off. *shameful face* Can't explain it, we just love spending time together. So we went & saw "Sin City" & "Hostage" today. Both movies were very good. A bit graphic, but very entertaining. Right now I'm cooking burgers. Still learning to cook. It's fun, just gotta be motivated. Friday night, I went & saw "The Ring 2" with April. Pretty good movie, but kinda lost me. They changed it up a bit. It did keep my attention though. The theatre we went to was at the mall, so we went window shopping. Found my new favorite accessories store - Forever 21. They must've had over 150 types of earrings. That's not including necklaces and bracelets. Allergies are acting up...we took Justin to the doctor for his, but I just took his Allegra. Worked, but my throat is so sore. Saturday night, we went to church. It was a great service. The pastor really convicted the audience with this phrase = "Are you pimping God?" Basically, it was asking if you just wore Jesus to "show off" and at your convenience. Never heard it put it that way, but it made sense. Afterwards, we went to the in-laws house & hung out. The next morning, I volunteered and went to get a burger with Sara, my sister in law. I swear we had a mini Sandra Bullock in our preschool class. When I was reading to the girls at one point, I looked up & she had her lips puckered, and was ready to give me a smooch! LOL I was flattered that she liked me, but whoa. Don't know ya, kid. My brothers dog, Mickey, passed away last night. Please pray for my brother, he is not taking it well, and is very hurt...thanks. Time for dinner. xoxo