The One True God is our Loving Husband
Day Twenty-Eight
by Gini Crawford, MSW
www.BecauseOfGod.com
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Our loving Husband
As Christians, we are the bride of Jesus Christ. Some of you have a husband who doesn't love you, so having a loving husband is hard to imagine. Some of you are simply not married, or are a husband yourself, so you are probably a little lost here. The rest of us, who are married, might have loving husbands, but as life is, no one can love us perfectly. No matter who we are, Jesus is our loving Husband, Who loves us like no human can. He is so glad we are His bride, He literally rejoices over us. (Zephaniah 3:17; Hebrews 12:2). Devoted God, isn't He?
...And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so your God will rejoice over you. / Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb (Jesus) has come and His bride has made herself ready. Isaiah 62:5; Revelation 19:7 NASB®
Two types of relationships
Our relationship with God at times is portrayed in His Word by using the husband-wife relationship and the parent-child relationship. Both the husband-wife and the parent-child relationships depict God's heartfelt longing to be in a close relationship with us. Yesterday, we discussed the parent-child relationship; today it will be the husband-wife relationship. The prophet Hosea in the Old Testament writes about both of these family relationships, to allow us to understand God's heart desire for intimacy with us. In Ephesians chapter five, the husband-wife relationship is used to paint a picture of us as Jesus Christ's wife as a corporate Body (His Church), as well as each of us individually (Ephesians 5:25-32).
And I will betroth you to Me forever... in lovingkindness and in compassion, and I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness. Then you will know the Lord. Hosea 2:19-20 NASB®
Answers about God as our husband
How long has God your husband loved you? In Ephesians chapter one, God chose you to be His even before the world and universe were created. God has been waiting to show you His love from eternity past. We could say, God's love for you started in eternity, so you have never been unloved by God! (Isaiah 30:18a; Jeremiah 31:3; Galatians 2:20b).
Remember, O LORD, Your compassion and Your lovingkindnesses, for they have been from of old (everlasting). / ...who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world...in love... Psalm 25:6; Ephesians 1:3-4 NASB®
Did you know Jesus Christ, your husband, had to sacrifice His very life to marry you? Remember the state we were in before we became Christians? We were separated from Jesus because of sin. (Isaiah 59:2). So Jesus, our would-be husband, couldn't even have a relationship with us, much less marry us. He could only love us from afar. However, our Bridegroom's sacrificial death set us free from our sins, so we can be eternally His. (Romans 5:10-11; Revelation 1:5). Beautiful love story, isn't it?
Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:2 NASB®
How valuable are you to Jesus your husband? You can tell what value someone is to a person, by how much he is willing to give or sacrifice for the person. I know some of you feel like you aren't worth much at all, because of the lies you were told as a child or as an adult, or both. What you need to remember is, your value to the One True God is beyond cost. It is priceless. He gave His very life to make you His bride (Galatians 2:20b).
...knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 1 Peter 1:18-19 NASB®
Do you feel discouraged, hopeless or depressed sometimes? Maybe you feel insignificant even invisible in some situations? I know I can. Women especially can feel unattractive, perhaps even ugly, because of the world's expectations on their outward appearance. Frankly as I get old, if I zero in on my wrinkles, etc., I certainly don't feel very beautiful. I am sure many of you can relate because life is life. Yet, there is a life-changing answer to our heartfelt psychological and physical struggles, Jesus Christ. Remember dear ones, you have been set free by Jesus to live in His joy, grace and confidence, as His glorious bride. Knowing I am very much loved and esteemed by Jesus has given me the desire and resolve to live as He sees me, as His beloved just right bride. (Isaiah 61:1-3, 7, 10; Ephesians 5: 25-27; Jude 24-25). How about you?
For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation. Psalm 149:4 NASB®
God is our faithful husband
I am blessed to have a faithful and loving husband. But some of you do not. So it is just natural to feel God will be disloyal. I promise you, God will be faithful and loyal to you. His love and faithfulness aren't bound by what we do, they are bound by Who He is. Remember, God's love is a loyal, faithful love. God has no intention of not staying committed to you. He gave His life to be with you.
If we are honest with ourselves, we are not the perfect wife. We go against God quite often by doing exactly what we want and not what God wants. Yet, God is our loving and devoted husband, Who is always patient, and compassionate towards us. I think He is the perfect husband. Do you?
I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. Isaiah 61:10 NASB®
Life Application
Imagine meeting Jesus, your Bridegroom, in heaven
As we all know too well, we can't escape death. Yet, as Christians, death takes us into the loving presence of the One True God.
This is what I imagine my first day in heaven will be like from what I know from scripture: When I leave this world and open my eyes in the next, I will see Jesus standing there with a glory that is beyond earthly description. His face will shine like the sun, but even with its brilliance, I will see a smile on His face because I am His joy. I believe I will fall on my knees in awe, and He will put His right hand on me and say, "Do not be afraid; I am the One Who has loved you and have been waiting for you." He will take me to see my dwelling in eternity that He has been preparing; and my heavenly inheritance that I inherited because of Him. As I am with Him I will feel His kindness and grace embracing me; and realize I am wearing wedding clothes that are as beautiful as the heavenly glory all around me. I will feel a peace and happiness that I could never have had on our earth. I will look up into my Bridegroom's eyes, and for the first time fully understand His love for me.
Someday you and I will literally meet the One True God face to face. Read John 14:1-3, 27; 1 Corinthians 13:10-12, 15:42-49; 2 Corinthians 5:1-8; Ephesians 1:3-4, 2:7; Hebrews 12:1-2; Jude 24 -25; Revelation 1:12-19, 19:7-8.
Write some insights from these passages about being in heaven with Jesus.
From the above passages, which passage gives you the most hope and joy about heaven?
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