A few weeks ago, my husband’s brother, Wes, married his high school sweetheart, Roshelle. The wedding was one of the most beautiful and intimate weddings I have ever seen. The love that the two of them share for each other was so emanate as they looked into each other’s eyes. Their love for the Lord came across in every aspect of the day.
There are many things that stand out about the day but there is one thing that I continually keep going back too. I am sure most of the people who were there look back and remember it as one of the funniest memories but I seem to be drawn back for the spiritual symbolism that it represents.
You see, Wes is a very artistic person and he wrote the song that he would play as the bridesmaids walked down the aisle but not only that, it would be the song that he would play as his blushing bride would walk too as she is presented to him.
Normally, people strain to see the bride as she walks down the aisle but I love to watch the face of the groom. It was so obvious when Roshelle came into view just by the look on Wes’s face. Wes was sitting down at the piano which he placed directly in front of the aisle so he could see his bride and play the song that he created for her as she walked towards him.
Well, as she was coming down the aisle, our uncle stepped into the aisle to take pictures but he was blocking Wes’s view of Roshelle. Wes very politely spoke up and asked him to move. However, our uncle did not hear him and continued to stand in the way. Wes very loudly exclaimed “Get out of my way, I can’t see my bride!” Finally our uncle heard and moved so Wes could see his precious gift that God had given him.
Call me crazy but this has rung within my spirit so deep that I can’t seem to shake it. The verse that cries out in my heart is Isaiah 54:5 “For your Maker is your husband – the Lord Almighty is his name – the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of all the earth.” This verse alone teaches us so many truths about who God is and who we are in God. First we learn that God Almighty, the Maker of heaven and earth, is our husband. We belong to Him. We learn that God is the Holy One of Israel and that He is our Redeemer. We learn that He is the God of all the earth.
Now, what does this tell us about who we are? We are His bride! Do we truly understand that? Do we truly get what that means? You are the love of His life! You are the woman of his dreams! The one true living God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, looks at you as his blushing bride. Do you believe it?
I can’t help but to wonder how many times in my life I have allowed sin, disobedience, temptations etc. into my life to become an obstacle in my walk with the Lord. How many times have I allowed anger, frustration, jealousy or pride to block the view of Christ looking at me, His blushing bride? I can’t help but to think how many times Christ has cried out just like Wes “Get out of my way, I can’t see my bride!”
Let’s reflect on the ten bridesmaids in Matthew 25 for a moment. Back in Jesus’ time, the bridegroom went to the bride’s house for the ceremony then the bride and groom, along with a large processional, would take the feast back to the groom’s house. Often, this feast would last a full week. The ten bridesmaids were waiting for the great procession and they were excited to take part in the wedding banquet. But when the groom did not come at the “expected” time, five of them let the oil in their lamp go out. As the bridegroom came, they realized they had no oil so they quickly left to go purchase some. While they were out, the bridegroom came and collected the five that were ready and went to the wedding banquet. At that time, the door was shut.
The five who were out purchasing the oil came to the home and banged on the door asking for them to be allowed in. However, the bridegroom replied that he did not know them.
At the end of this parable, the Lord warns us to keep watch because we do not know the day or the hour of when Christ will return. The word watch here means “to keep watch” (meaning an action) and “to be on guard.”
This parable is so important to us today because sometimes as Christians, we become numb to the fact that one day Christ will return for His bride. We hear this time and time again and yet we let our guard down. It is so important for us to keep watch on our hearts, our minds and our character to make sure they are lining up with the Word of God. We must constantly be acting on the Word of God, obeying it and allowing it to change us from the inside out. We can’t let our guard down for if we do, we have a very real enemy who wants to steal, kill and destroy us.
Revelation 19:7-8 “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.”
My prayer for each and every one of us is that we are preparing ourselves for the day that the Lamb comes to take his bride and that we are not allowing any obstacles to stand in our way. The last thing I want the Lord to say is “Get out of my way. I can’t see my bride.”
