p‘Betrothal’ isn’t a word we use much any more. ‘Hey guys, guess what happened today? I got betrothed to my beloved!’ Not so much. And not only do we not use it, the idea of betrothal has disappeared too. In Bible days betrothal meant more than engagement: it was part of the marriage ritual. As soon as a couple was betrothed, they were considered to be one. But there wasn’t an actual wedding for a year or more.br /
Where’s this going? Well, the Church is the bride of Christ, and we’re looking forward to the day when we’ll get to sit with Him for what the book of Revelation calls the ‘marriage supper of the Lamb’ (Revelation 19:9 NKJV). Weirded out by the marriage thing? Well don’t worry, it’s a metaphor. It’s a metaphor because we’re not literally going to be plonked around a table with a sheep. But don’t get comfortable yet. It’s deeply true, too. Jesus’ love for us is far more than the kindness of a nice boss, or a well-meaning charity worker. It’s a love that’s so strong and personal all we’ve got to compare it to is a marriage. So if you’re afraid of missing out on some earthly thing - romance, success, belonging - Jesus has plans for your future that involve the most enormous of those earthly feelings. And then some. You’re not gonna miss out on *anything*. Until then He’s making a place for us, praying on our behalf, continuing to pursue us, and to bring us into ‘the knowledge of [Him]’ (Ephesians 4:13 NIV)./p
pem strongWhat Now? /strong/em br /
This is a staggering thing to invite others to. If you’ve had a friend in mind to invite to church, invite them this week./p