Gift to the Bride

The gift to the Bride

Read Isaiah 61

The big day has come. The Bride accepts her Bridegroom in eternal covenant.

^8b “I will faithfully reward my people for their suffering    and make an everlasting covenant with them.” NLT

Her heart rejoices, she feels a freedom, joyous blessing, and festive praise, overwhelmed by His love. (61:10)

Today, she is honored. (61:9) She is honored by receiving beauty for ashes. (61:3) She is honored with gifts as well; all she could ever need for her new role as a wife. But there is one gift that matters most of all. This is the one that she is going to cherish and hold close to her heart.

The gift from her groom.

¹⁰ “I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God!    For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation    and draped me in a robe of righteousness.I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit    or a bride with her jewels.” NLT

Is that not the greatest gift of all? We, the Bride of Christ, get that great gift. That righteousness. He laid down His life in order that we might experience that overwhelming joy, rapt with the blessing and wonder of it all.

For when the Lord has blessed someone they are blessed indeed.

⁹ “Their descendants will be recognized    and honored among the nations.Everyone will realize that they are a people    the Lord has blessed.” NLT

One last thing, dear one. Would we be a gracious bride if we just sat there, soaking it all in?

A friend of mine, whose entire life in Christ displayed God’s love through service, was truly a gracious bride. At her wedding, she and her groom stood at the food table and they served the guests.

Service. Driven by love received. So, dear Bride, how are you being a gracious bride today?

^{Isaiah 61:11b} “His righteousness {your gift from the Groom, remember?} will be like a garden in early spring,    with plants springing up everywhere.” NLT  

^{Hosea 10:12 “}I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness,    and you will harvest a crop of love.Plow up the hard ground of your hearts,    for now is the time to seek the Lord,that he may come    and shower righteousness upon you.’” NLT 

^{Proverbs 11:18 b} “The one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.” NIV 

^{James 3:18} “And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.” NLT

Share it! Serve. Scatter seeds everywhere you step, that plants of His Righteousness will spring up everywhere.

Faith Spoken Of

Hosea 13:6 "As they had their pasture, they became satisfied, And being satisfied, their heart became proud; Therefore they forgot Me."

Friends!!! Oh let us keep grateful praise on our lips at. all. times. for how He cares for us, in unknowable, wonderful ways, in the MIDST of us selfishly ignoring Him throughout most of our day.

This was on my heart today. I have been burdened to share my faith and my journey with the Lord with more than just my close family and friends. I can count on one hand the people I feel deeply close to, close enough to share that with. Close enough that conversations go deeper than what we did this week, or what plans we have for the upcoming weekend. Those precious friends have sharpened me, and been truly used by God to strengthen my heart for Him. Anyone else I might begin to share with always comes with a measure of discomfort. Not a lot, but just a bit, enough to make me squirm in my shoes a little and think what if they don't accept what I'm saying? What if I make us Christians look weird? I don't want to tarnish God's reputation. I'll just keep my mouth closed. There. That feels more comfortable.

But then, He has never called us to stay where we are comfortable. And He can take care of His own reputation.

My blog title has a twofold meaning. Primarily derived from Romans 1:8
Rom 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ  for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

How humbling would that be? And how awesome. That your faith would be renowned like that.

My second reason for titling the blog as I have is this. 'Faith spoken of' is a call to speak up! Speak your faith!
Psalm 107:2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy.

Let's speak up! If your faith is going to be spoken of, let it start with you!
Let mine start with me!