“Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory. For the wedding day of the Lamb has come, his bride has made herself ready.”
Revelation 19:7 (NAB)
Yesterday, I had an appointment with my hair stylist, Melissa, who is engaged to be married this October. She excitedly showed me a photo of her wedding gown and told me all about the plans for her wedding celebration. It’s amazing how wedding plans alone, can take over a conversation. She is a typical excited bride to be, glowing, and totally focused on that big day in October.
The first miracle performed by Jesus was at a wedding celebration. His first miracle was different from all the rest, which were done for the outcasts, lepers, poor and the sick. The miracle at Cana, turned water into wine, for a large group of guests just to be able to continue their celebration festivities. Jesus showed us that merrymaking is an integral part of every human experience, which He Himself enjoyed as much as we do.
I don’t picture Jesus standing at a distance, piously watching the wedding festivities. Instead, I picture Him dancing, laughing and having a good time along with His friends, cousins and guests, until later in the evening, when He was pulled aside by Mary and told that the wine had run out. Running out of wine was an urgent and embarrassing situation in those days, since wedding celebrations went on for many days.
Just as God never turns anyone away who calls on Him in urgent need, Jesus could never walk away from the needs of the party hosts, who ran out of wine. He told Mary, “My hour has not yet come,” knowing that by doing a public miracle, He would reveal His divine identity to everyone there, as the Messiah. It was that first miracle at a wedding, that revealed who He truly was. He is going to reveal Himself again, when He returns one day to gather His bride to the final wedding feast in Heaven.
In the providential wisdom of God, the first miracle, was at a wedding, and His final return culminates in the wedding of all weddings. The first miracle is linked to the last. Jesus even hinted about this at the last supper, saying that He would never drink wine again until they drank it together at the great wedding banquet in heaven. (Matthew 26:29)
The angel told the apostle John, “Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.”(Revelation 19:9)
(That verse will sound familiar to my Catholic friends, since it’s recited at every mass)
Since the world wide Church is the bride of Christ, His believers are in the anticipation phase, just as my hair stylist, Melissa, is in. The wedding plans have been made, but she shared that her biggest thrill is anticipating the day she puts on the beautiful gown she picked out, and to see the response of her fiancé.
As Melissa talked about her wedding plans, she glowed with excitement, and little did she know, that a few days before, I had begun writing a meditation about the wedding feast in heaven. Listening to her, helped to shape my thoughts on this theme, and the correlation to the church’s anticipation of Jesus’ return.
If we pause to think about the depth of those words, we are “blessed to be called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” We all live in expectation of that big day, when we put on special wedding garments, and see Jesus, for the first time, as He looks directly at us.
Preparing for the wedding feast of the Lamb, might mean reprioritizing things here and now, in light of that big day. It inspires us to consider how we handle the good, the bad, the blessings and the hard times that come our way. We keep trusting in His forgiveness at the cross, being cleansed by His blood. Now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation.
Our words and actions sown today, will reap His response on that day. Everything we do presently, for His glory and honor is like a wedding garment or the bridal gown that adorns and prepares us for the big day of union between Jesus Christ and His church. He will look at each of us, in the awesome power of His love, and say, “Come My beloved one, enter into the joy of the Lord.”
Lord, fill us with joy and gladness as we prepare ourselves, while waiting for your return. Forgive and cleanse us, and keep us excited to meet you and give you all the glory, when we put on wedding garments for that day. Amen
