The excitement of preparing for a wedding is huge! If you have ever had the opportunity to be involved in the planning and preparations, you will know that it is such an amazing time. Choosing a venue, decorating it, arranging the menu, seating plans, music, and all the colourful attire. It is often time-consuming! This …
The excitement of preparing for a wedding is huge! If you have ever had the opportunity to be involved in the planning and preparations, you will know that it is such an amazing time. Choosing a venue, decorating it, arranging the menu, seating plans, music, and all the colourful attire. It is often time-consuming!
This afternoon, I was reminded of an important wedding I am invited to. The reminder came through a song I was listening to: For the marriage of the Lamb is coming.
Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honour to him.
For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamp and His bride has prepared herself.
She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear.
For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people.
Revelation 19 v 7 to 8
As Children of God, we have received an invitation to the marriage of the Lamb. What are we doing in preparation for this? Are we anxiously looking forward to this, or have we put the invitation aside and forgotten about it?
The Bible gives many parables about weddings to remind us of our responsibility. The parable of the 10 virgins waiting for the bridegroom who is delayed. 5 did not take enough oil, and their lambs burnt out. Whilst they were away searching for more oil, the groom arrived, and they missed the wedding procession and were refused entry to the wedding. Matthew 25 v 1 to 13.
A further parable is the one of Great Feast in Luke 14 v 16 to 24. A feast is prepared, and invitations sent out, but once everything was ready, all the guests had excuses. In the end, the feast was enjoyed by others who had not been invited initially.
Both parables speak the same thing to me. We need to ensure that we are actively waiting for the call to attend the Marriage of the Lamb. For an earthly wedding, there is so much to do when waiting to attend an important wedding. We may want to secure the most flattering outfit, with shoes and accessories to match. We may even choose to make some lifestyle changes, so we look our very best in the day, and look gorgeous in the pictures. Guests may book the services of hairdressers, seamstresses, barbers and beauticians to ensure we are looking sharp on the day.
In the same way, let us examine our lives to ensure we are getting prepared for this Great day, the Marriage of the Lamb. We may need to let go of certain habits, certain addictions, certain sins in our lives, as Hebrews 12 v1 encourages us. We may need to engage in certain spiritual exercises, praying, fasting, studying the Word of God to ensure we are fully ready for the day. We will need the support of others in the household of Christ, to ensure we are following the Will of God and growing in the faith towards this great day.
Whatever happens between now and this great day, we do not want to be like those in the parables, who got distracted and carried away by other things and missed their place. Especially as we are the bride, you do not want to miss your own wedding!!
Louisa Egbe
