Wednesday, March 2, 2011
END TIMES READING PLAN: Isaiah 2, 4-5
SCRIPTURE READING
Rev 19:7 For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His Bride has made herself ready. (ESV)Rev 22: 17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come”. (ESV)
One of the analogies that the Bible uses to teach us about the kind of relationship that we can have with God is that of a Bride and Bridegroom. Human history began in Eden with Adam and Eve joined as bridegroom and bride (Gen 2), this is a prophetic picture of Jesus being joined to His Bride, the Church at the end of the age. Eph 5: 31-33 tells us that “a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife…but I speak concerning Christ and the church” (NKJV). At the end of the age, natural history will end with Jesus and His people joined as a Bridegroom and Bride (Rev 21-22). Natural history will end with a Bride who has made herself ready for her marriage to Jesus (Rev 19). What does this mean? Jesus is calling us to cultivate the type of closeness that is represented in a healthy marriage in our relationship with Him. Salvation is an invitation to experience the deep things of God’s heart that He planned for us. This month, we will focus on what it means to be the Bride of Christ. Understanding this concept has the potential to powerfully change your relationship with Jesus.
PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Do you have any fears or reservations about being called the Bride of Christ? How does this make you feel?2. Salvation is a free gift to all who accept it but living in relationship and experiencing the deep things of God’s heart will require effort. Are you willing to put in the effort that being Christ’s Bride demands? What, if anything, is holding you back?
3. Spend some time asking the Lord to open your heart to the idea of being the Bride of Christ, ask Him to speak to you this month about this concept in Scripture.
