Already a Bride?!
When I learned about the Bride of Christ, this concept really stood out to me. You see, throughout my younger years, I always dreamed about my prince charming. I couldn’t wait to meet him.
I fell in love with the idea of Jesus as my Bridegroom—my Savior, my hero! It was later in my twenties that I read a book that crushed my idea of this. In it, it stated that Jesus needs to be more than your boyfriend. And while it is true that Jesus is so much—I think it is perfectly healthy and, if anything, endearing to see Jesus as the love of your life…your Bridegroom (and, yes, in a respectful way, even like a boyfriend). Jesus meets us where our needs are. And for a lot of us, we have a heart-shaped hole that only the love of God can fix.
For me, the love I’ve been searching for is in Jesus Christ. There is this sweet and precious encounter in the Bible that I want to share with you…
8 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
2 Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. 3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” 6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.
7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” 8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”
11 She said, “No one, Lord.”
And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” ~ John 8:1-12
Here, we have a beautiful depiction of mercy. Mercy is not getting what you deserve. The people thought this woman deserved to be killed; however, Jesus, in His loving mercy, spared her life.
This type of love is the love I’ve sought for all my life. I’ve sought love that is self-sacrificing and mercy-filled. I thought I could find love in guys with a knight in shining armor. I thought a man could fill this gap in my heart, this missing piece.
These past couple years, I’ve got to experience dating and see that all my expectations and dreams cannot be met in sin-filled, flesh-filled men. I looked for someone who could accept me and help me be the best person I could be. However, these guys could not love me. It’s easy to feel like you’re not good enough, that you’ll never measure up to someone else’s standards.
However, Jesus isn’t like that. Hallelujah! He sees our mess and isn’t turned away from it. He doesn’t pick up and cast the stone and say, I knew she wasn’t good enough… Instead, He defends us. When the devil tries to tell us all the mistakes we’ve ever made, how we are not deserving of Heaven or life with Jesus, Jesus is our defender. He intercedes to the Father on our behalf!
My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. ~ 1 John 2:1
And then, like the knight in shining armor, Jesus will someday come and defeat the devil—the evil one in the story who tries to take the princess. Jesus is strong and mighty. He loves the Church, His bride.
Someday, we’re going to have a marriage supper with the Lamb. I know it’s hard to picture right now, but it’s going to be just as real as any wedding you’ve ever been to or imagined. I can picture Him lovingly stroke His bride’s face saying, You’re here now, with me.
If anyone should understand the frailty of earthly, romantic love, it’s me. I’ve had a guy who I loved, a guy in ministry flat out tell me that he basically didn’t love me anymore. After months of dating, texting and saying I love you…I felt like I was completely fooled. I watched our relationship shatter in my hands.
And that was just one of the string of many rejections I’ve experienced. In some of these relationships I didn’t even like the guys…but I was willing to do anything to make a relationship work. I’ve been the desperate one!
If any of you can relate to this, and you’ve recently been in a breakup [hence, the reason why you are reading this!], I want to give you some hope.
That hole in your heart? That is normal. That was put there for a reason. That hole is only supposed to be filled with Jesus (I’m preaching to myself again! 😊). If you feel at the end of your rope, just bogged down with disappointment and sadness and confusion, I urge you to just think about Jesus for a few minutes. Picture Him giving you a hug. Picture Him listening to you as you tell Him about your sadness. Picture yourself as that woman in the Bible and Him writing in the sand and defending you against your accusers.
And then, after you’ve done all that just thank Him. A simple thank you…thank you Lord for not giving me what I deserved. That you for saving me for Your best. And even if I never end up with a man here on earth, I know I have You and that suffices—that is more than enough.
There is so much more to life than finding the perfect spouse. You already have one. His name is Jesus, and He loves you dearly sister (or brother) in Christ.
Blessings to you all <3
Anonymous Believer