When I was 19 someone said to me, “I just don’t want you to always be the bridesmaid and never the bride.”
Mind you, I had just ended an on-again-off-again relationship that had spanned 2 years up to that point and would continue for another year. I was pretty sure I would never meet another guy that I could “see myself” with.
Did I mention I was 19 and, ya know, all of life’s big decisions are supposed to be made by that age?
I may have lived a bit of a dramatic life back in the day.
Looking back I truly believe this was the point in my life when God starting chipping away at the idol of relationships/marriage that I’ve struggled with for so long. He began teaching me that I am already a bride and that Jesus has already become my Bridegroom. As cliche as it may be, this is truth that cannot be taken away from me.
And here’s the cool thing about having Jesus as your husband–He fights for you.
One of the more notable sections of Scripture addressing marriage is in Ephesians 5. A couple years ago my pastor preached on Ephesians 5:25-27. I don’t remember if this was a series in Ephesians, on marriage, or what. I just know that I took some pprreettyy good notes that Sunday. Here’s a little nugget of how great my scribe skillz are:
-Christ fights for His bride
-my worth isn’t defined by what I bring to the table…Jesus brings everything
-I am loved by Christ and that is my identity
-Jesus is at war against the spots and wrinkles in my life–covering them, cleansing them–to make me & present me as spotless & beautiful
I’ve lived much of my life thinking that I’ll be complete once I find “the one.” Thanks Jerry MaGuire.
But the beautiful, freeing truth is that I cannot be complete and spotless outside of Christ.
It’s a lesson I’m still learning. Some days I still think that I need something other than Jesus. Some days I think that someone else can fight for me in a perfect way and present me without blemish. Some days I let others dictate my value.
Jesus already has. Jesus already does. Jesus always will.
Kayla Smith 