Picking up where we left off with Psalm 45 and the story of the royal
wedding, we begin today with verse 12 by viewing the attitude of the company
present at the marriage ceremony….
And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; even the rich among
the people shall intreat thy favour.
We find among the guests those who strictly cleave to Christ, persons
who also love Him in singleness of heart are companions of the bride.
They are people who partake of the very same grace, enjoy the same riches
in being a child of God, and share in one common salvation. Moreover,
everyone will bring sacrificial gifts on that Blessed Wedding Day to lie
at the feet of our Savior…
Rather than being dreaded, wedding days are special, sacred events that
we should look forward to attending, amen? All you have to do is glance
at the countenance of the bride to realize this! How about the "wedding
day" we Christians have ahead of us - are you making preparation for the
big event, are you excited about it, or dreading the coming of the Groom??
What will your expression be O bride, when the Lord comes - one of gladness
or grief? What gifts will you bring to the wedding?
2 Tim. 4:8
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the
Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only,
but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Psalm 76:11
Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God: let all that be round about him bring
presents unto him that ought to be feared.
Yes, a bride should love the appearing of her groom… The thought of being
in her beloved's presence and spending endless moments with him should
be something the bride longs for with great anticipation; otherwise, why
bother getting married?! I wonder though, ladies, how many of us as wives
have lost touch with this attitude toward our husbands… How many of us
truly love to spend time with the man we married? When you love someone,
you watch for that person in delightful anticipation. How many of us look
forward to our "grooms" returning home at the end of the work day and
thoughtfully prepare for their return? Certainly those of you who have
been married for any length of time have learned what your husband's likes
and dislikes are. How many of his preferences are you catering to these
days, dear bride?? Are you watching the clock as it nears the time of
his arrival? Is your home in order when the king arrives? Is it clean
and neat? Is there a nice meal and happy family waiting for him, or has
he given up hope of receiving such thoughtful gifts at your hand? Are
the kids prepared to meet their father properly? Are their rooms picked
up, their naps taken, their noses wiped and their minds directed toward
their father in respect? That's your responsibility, Mom! Many children
never even acknowledge their father's entrance into the home, they just
continue to stare at the TV or ignore him altogether when he arrives.
Children should be trained to immediately get up from what they are doing
and give their father a hug, respectfully acknowledging his presence.
Ladies, we need to teach our children to pay proper attention to their
father, it will preserve and protect their relationship with him all through
the years. It is the very foundation of their relationship with their
heavenly Father as well! You see, they'll learn to treat God the very
same way they treat Dad....
Deut. 5:16
Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee…
Now how about you, dear wife… Are you prepared to meet your husband in
the best frame of mind? How would your spouse describe his "bride" when
he arrives home at the end of the day - haggard and indifferent to his
entrance or happy and attentive toward him? Perhaps you've become lazy
in thoroughly overseeing the affairs of your home. Attitude is a little
thing that makes a big difference - in all areas of life! Though he may
not mention it, your husband can tell the difference as to whether or
not you prepared to meet him prior to his arrival. If you've deliberately
prepared to meet your groom, the king, there will be an unmistakable difference
to you, your children and your home. Even you yourself will sense it!
No man wants to come home to a woman who has been munching on the bread
of idleness all day…
Proverbs 31:27
She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread
of idleness.
So it is with the Lord, too… If we've prepared ourselves spiritually to
be ready for Christ's imminent appearing, there should be a noticeable
difference to our lives, our attitude, our speech, our conduct, our spirit,
our countenance and outward appearance - our whole being! Why? Because
we MADE ourselves ready, we worked at it and diligently tended to that
which we knew would please Jesus when He arrived!! A woman who looks well
to the ways of her household sees to it that all that falls under her
influence is properly prepared! My guess is, ladies, that if we're not
making ourselves completely ready for the men we are married to, the one
our eyes CAN see, I highly doubt we are making ourselves completely ready
for the One our eyes have yet to see - the Lord Jesus Christ!
Matthew 25:10-13
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready
went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. After-ward came
also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered
and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for
ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
In closing, if we love Christ's appearing, we will live in obedience to
His will, and do the work He has called us to do. Our daily good works
are the presents we bring in honor of our union with the Lord. These works
are not performed to gain an invitation to the marriage supper of the
Lamb, but they are brought because we have already accepted the invitation
and we want to honor the ceremony… Likewise, ladies, if you love your
husband's appearing, you will live in submission to his will and happily
perform the work you know he would be grateful for and that would wholly
honor your union with him. It would be rude to accept a wedding invitation
without any intention of bringing gifts! A devoted woman is a ready woman
and a royal bride brings a giving heart to the wedding.
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello
Revised 2003
