The imagery of a wedding to express the intimate relationship between God and his people is found all throughout the Bible (Rev. 19:7, Isa. 54:5-7, and Hos. 2:19). I’d like to show you one passage in particular. This is Matthew 22:1-14.
In the Bible’s imagery, God is the groom and the Church (Christians) is the bride. This husband and wife relationship should not be seen as feminine personification, but as a great description of the intimacy God wants with His church (past, present, and future).
If we truly want the Holy Spirit to move in today’s church we need to start living like it. God wants to marry a beautiful bride — not a whore! If this offends you, I’m glad — that’s kind of the point. It should offend. We say, “Holy Spirit come here and do amazing things among us” yet we don’t change our lives — we don’t clean up. God will come with great power when we have prepared for Him something better than a slutty prostitute.
God’s wants to move in our midsts. I believe God wants to blow our socks off. But we are not preparing the way for His presence.
Let’s prepare the way! Let’s put on our “wedding clothes.”
Ammendum: I’m not saying that we dictate when and how God does and doesn’t move. That’s not what I’m saying. I’m just saying that I think we can be doing a lot more to PREPARE THE WAY! Seek God. Seek Holiness. Seek truth. That’s how we prepare the way for the Lord!
Good post, bro. I especially like your clarification of the bridal imagery. To quote Mark Hadfield, a pastor in Scotland, “Jesus is not my boyfriend!”
It was offensive, but it was moving. Thanks for that, I very much needed that comment because of a recent discussion that led to some confusion.