Where is My Bride?

Where is My Bride?
Alice Smith

“For your Maker is your husband—the LORD Almighty is His name—” (Isaiah 54:5, NIV).
There are few things more memorable than a wedding. As the beautifully decorated church fills with people, the bride and bridegroom make last-minute preparations for the momentous event. Finally the moment is here. After months of preparation, the wedding begins. Accompanied by music the bridesmaids and groomsmen walk the aisle and take their places. Next, the pastor and the groom enter. The guests smile with approval at how handsome and proud the groom looks. Now everyone is poised to see one person—the bride.

The wedding march begins and as the music swells the doors swing open and there she is in all her beauty, dressed in pure white. Her gorgeous gown flows gracefully as she makes her way down the aisle toward her groom. Everything about her is perfect. Her hair, her nails, her make-up. The audience stands in honor of her and turns to look. Admiring whispers can be heard as she is escorted to the front. At the altar the bride and groom face the pastor and the ceremony begins.

A new covenant—a new beginning! Two become one. The invited guests listen with delight as the happy couple pledge themselves to each other and promise God that they will honor this commitment forever!

This is the start of a great new life. But it’s only the start. Everyone knows that the end of the ceremony is only the beginning of the marriage. The marriage bond is actually consummated behind closed doors, in the private place. There the bride gives herself freely and intimately to this man she loves.

The wedding scene I have just described is analogous to our intimate journey with the Lord Jesus. At salvation, we were wed to Him. We are His bride and He is waiting for us to come to Him. Paul used the same image when he said, “I am jealous for you, just as God is; you are like a pure virgin whom I have promised in marriage to one man only, Christ himself” (2 Cor. 11:2, GNB). God is our Bridegroom, and today He is asking, “Where is My bride? Why doesn’t she come into the quiet place of prayer and spend time with Me?” Christ is the only groom I know whose bride will hardly speak to Him.

We often appear to be more interested in other things, yet we wonder why our churches are empty, our ministries powerless and our altars barren. It is because we are giving ourselves to other lovers! Hear the burden of God’s heart: “I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the desert, through a land not sown” (Jer. 2: 2, NIV). Yet Israel didn’t want to be faithful to God. The Lord was grieved. “Long ago you broke off your yoke and tore off your bonds; you said: ‘I will not serve you!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every spreading tree you lay down as a prostitute” (Jer. 2:20, NIV).
The indictment is far worse for New Covenant people. In the Old Testament the people of God didn’t have the Holy Spirit living in them as we do. The Lord is crying, “Where is my bride?” We might be busy with home, career, children or making money. Doing church can even become a god. We can be more in love with the work of the Lord than with the Lord of the work. We, His bride, have lifted our skirt under every spreading tree to commit adultery with the world. We have given our hearts to the idolatry of houses, cars, children, amusement and money. These have captured our attention from our heavenly Groom.
Perhaps you have been so caught up in the world and the affairs of life that you have all but forgotten your Bridegroom. Stop right now and gently whisper your apology to Him. Ask your heavenly Groom to forgive you for being attracted to and distracted by other things. If you are thinking, I didn’t know I was unfaithful to Jesus, but right now I want to renew my wedding vows, then write your name in the blanks below. Slowly and deliberately read aloud your vow to Jesus. Once you have done this, read aloud what the Lord Jesus, your Groom, pledges to you.

I, _____________________, take You Jesus to be my lawfully wedded husband. To have and to hold from this day forward. I pledge before God and these witnesses (heavenly witnesses) to be Your loving and faithful Bride. I will love and honor You, cherish and obey You and forsaking all others, I will keep myself totally for You, Jesus. In plenty and in want, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health, through adversity or suffering, I will trust You. I give my whole heart to You, Lord, in token and pledge of my constant faith and abiding love.

I, Jesus, take you _________________ to be My chosen wedded bride. To have and to hold you from eternity past, and forever. I have formed you and called you out of darkness. I bought you with my life and I have fulfilled the law for you. I am preparing a place for you, that where I am, you may be also. I will never leave you or forsake you. Call unto me and I will answer you. I will always be a shield about you. I have given you my name and all authority to use it. You are my beloved. My blood I give for you, in token and pledge of my constant devotion to you.1

It bears repeating: You are Husband and wife! Now enjoy the love of your life!