The Bride of Christ
 by: Murphy Toerner

Every person longs to be noticed, pursued, appreciated, chosen and special. Every person longs to know that they are valuable, attractive, and worth being "known" just for who they are and not for what they can "do".

God designed us with these longings and desires. It is no mistake that we desire to feel loved. It is not weird to want to feel wanted. It is God's devine design. It is a right and good thing. God designed several means to accomplish these things. In marriage, we ahve the relationship between a husband and wife. We ahve the relationships between a mother and father and their children. In the church, we have the relationships among the community of saints (the family of God). The Bible also describes that the church makes up the body of Christ. God will use other types of relationships in our lives ... those between: teachers and students; friend and friend; boss and worker.

We know that all of these relationsihips are strategic. One way we can discern this is by the degree of effort that goes into the success of each category of relationship. Another way to weigh the value of a relationship is the degree that the relationship is attacked by the enemy ... satan. Since we know statistically that over 50% of all marriages in the United States fail, we can conclude that marriage is a primary object of attack and therefore, it must be a very important relationship in our spiritual lives.

One reason why marriage is considered holy and sacrimental is because it is a physical expression of a spiritual reality. It is also considered to be a means by which we experience the grace of God. God speaks consistently in the Old Testament that "His people" represent His bride and He is their Bridegroom. In the Book of Revelation, Jesus is described as the Bridegroom and the church is His Bride.

Today, as the living Bride of Christ, are we ready for our Bridegroom to return? I believer our choices, our everyday moment by moment choices, reveal our level of readiness. Our choices and our heart attitudes show much about where we actually are in our spiritual journey with the Lord. Are you wearing your garment of fine linen (which is symbolic of purity)? Is your garment presentable? Is your farment soiled?

By asking these questions, I am not asserting that we should pretend to be "perfect". If you are walking around pretending to be a perfect Christian, I fear that you are being pulled into a common deception ... you are living more as a "Stepford Christian" than an authentic, born-again Christian. So, I am not talking about just external behaviors. I am talking about the condition of your heart. Are you eagerly waiting for the return of the Bridegroom? Are you sober and alert while you wait? Just think about the devotion of your "Bridegroom". Think about the following:

* His love is unending
* His commitment is unwavering and true
* His character is impeccable
* His wisdom is untainted and sound
* His ways are tender, right and responsive
* His motives are pure
* His heart is warm and full of love and affection
* His affection is unrivaled

I encourage you to live your life in a way that is worthy of your calling. You are the Bride of Christ. Make choices ... live your life in such a way that reflects this high calling.

For more articles by this author, check out: www.murphytoerner.com

 

About The Author   Murphy Toerner is a Christian Mental Health Counselor. She has been in practice for over 13 years. She is a retreat speaker and writer. She has been married for 25 years and has two grown sons. For more information: www.murphytoerner.com.