Here Comes The Bride

My niece is getting married tomorrow afternoon. For many months she and her family have been planning and preparing for the big day. There are thousands of little details that have to be worked out so that the day will be perfect. I remember that I was a bride over 26 years ago. The excited nervousness builds as the bride-to-be scurries here making sure that all of the details are worked out.

 A lot of work goes into the preparations for that moment when the bride and groom will be joined together in matrimony. Tomorrow is going to be a wonderful day of celebration for their family and friends. However, some did not get on the invitation list and will be disappointed. For them, it will be a sad day because they won't be part of the celebration. 

That is going to be true at another marriage celebration. However, the difference will be that all have been given the invitation, but not everyone responded in the way that the King had hoped.
In Matthew 22: 2-10 we read of another wedding feast that Jesus talked about in the form of a parable.

2.  The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 

3.  And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 

4.  Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. 

5.  But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 

6.  And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 

7.  But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 

8.  Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. 

9.  Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 

10.  So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. 

However, there was another wedding feast that will be coming  when the Bride of Christ is united with her Bridegroom forever.  Don't be like the five foolish maidens mentioned in Matthew 25: 1-12. You remember the story of how five wise and five foolish virgins were awaiting the coming of the bridegroom.

The foolish virgins had not taken care of all of the details.  They forgot to fill their lamps with oil. When they realized it, it was too late. They begged the wise virgins to give them some of their oil, but they could not oblige. As they parable continues, they five went out to buy the oil, but, they were too late. While they were out The Bridegroom came.

Matthew 25:6  And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

10.  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.
11.  Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12.  But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

Oh, how sad that would be!

So in all of the preparation for the Bridegroom, we can learn some lessons.

The wedding feast is being prepared and you are all invited to join in the Celebration of all Celebrations. Just imagine the sounds of Heaven as they welcome the Bride to the table. All of the time we took here on earth to prepare for there will be worth all of the work that we put into our preparation for the Greatest Feast of ALL. 

• Don't allow anything to steal your oil of (joy, happiness, etc.)
• Take care of even the smallest of details. (If the King has shown you something in your life that needs your attention, take care of it. It was a little thing that kept the five foolish virgins out of the wedding feast.)
• Don't get careless while we wait for the Bridegroom.

I can't wait to meet you there at the BIG CELEBRATION!!!

Thanks for reading.

Donna McHugh