As we arrived at the church, I couldn’t help but notice that it was still decorated for the wedding from the previous day. For weeks, the church members had worked tirelessly to spruce up the grounds and prepare everything for the pastor’s daughter’s wedding. She had grown up in the church, and this was a special occasion for the whole community. I could only imagine the joy and excitement that had filled the sanctuary less than 24 hours earlier as they celebrated the union of this young couple, a picture of the love and commitment that Christ has for His bride, the church (Ephesians 5:22-33).
As the pastor came rushing in on his truck, my first thought was that they had been so tired from the festivities that they had planned to undecorate during Sunday school. I couldn’t help but think how pretty the sanctuary looked with all the flowers and how wonderful the wedding must have been. The white ribbons and bows, lush greenery, and vibrant blooms were a picture of joy and celebration, a physical reminder of the spiritual joy and beauty that awaits us in heaven when we are united with Christ, our bridegroom.
But then the pastor’s wife shared that they had decided to leave the church decorated because it was a shame not to. “It’s still so beautiful,” she said. “Let’s enjoy it for today’s service.” The pastor even offered to anyone who wanted to take the beautiful flower arrangements. “Don’t let them go to waste,” he said with a smile. “They were very expensive.” Just as the flowers and decorations were expensive but not to be wasted, so are our lives as followers of Christ. We are called to live lives that bring glory and honor to Him, not to be wasted on fleeting pursuits of the world (Matthew 5:14-16, 1 Corinthians 6:20).
As I sat there, taking it all in, a thought ran through my head: shouldn’t we, the bride of Christ, always be ready for the wedding of Christ? Shouldn’t our hearts always be prepared to celebrate His return? Just as the virgins in Matthew 25 were to be ready for the bridegroom’s coming, so too are we to live in anticipation of Christ’s second coming. This was a powerful reminder of the joy that awaits us when we finally unite with our Savior, just as a bride rejoices at the wedding and the marriage that follows. The flowers were expensive, but the cost of “our wedding” as the bride of Christ cost Jesus everything – His life, blood, and broken body (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Revelation 19:6-9).
As it says in Matthew 25:13, “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” May we live each day ready for that glorious wedding, with hearts full of love for our bridegroom and lives that reflect the beauty of being part of the bride of Christ.
I love you all. If you have any prayer request please reach out to me at randy@almostmorning.org
