Prepare to Meet the Bride Groom

“Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel; Because I will do this to you, Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!” (Amos 4:12 )

The wedding day is the happiest day for the couple. Singles, especially ladies, look up to that special day when they are the centre of attraction and attention. Perhaps the only day in their life when hundreds of people travel from around the city to grace their little girl’s special moment. The once daughter of the family is about to become a wife to another man. It’s always a special moment. If you have been a bride or have been close to a bride on her wedding day, you could probably understand how long it took you to prepare for that one special day, the day that would set the stage for the rest of your life.

After weeks of booking hall and picking a date in church for the wedding, D-day finally comes, and the bride is surrounded by her bridesmaid, ready to dress up the most beautiful lady of the day. She wears a well-fitted wedding gown and then matching and comfortable shoes. Here comes the royal headwear that sometimes looks like a crown. Then she puts on the veil, and the makeup artist does her job. Most ladies look out of this world after the makeup artist does her work. Then her hands are covered with gloves, then she is handed a matching handbag and walks out in royalty. This shows the effort and details we put into getting a bride ready for her big day. 

Like all brides, Esther also had her moment of preparation. Appearing before the king is a one-time opportunity that demands all the details you can imagine. Even the king made provisions for their preparation before appearing before him. The Bible says, “After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus subsided, he remembered Vashti, what she had done, and what had been decreed against her. Then the king’s servants who attended him said: “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king; and let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather all the beautiful young virgins to Shushan the citadel, into the women’s quarters, under the custody of Hegai the king’s eunuch, custodian of the women. And let beauty preparations be given them. Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” (Esther 2:1-4)

Yes, Vashti has lost the throne, but whoever must take over should be prepared as well. Like Esther, we all have to prepare to stand before our groom one day. The Bible says the church is the bride of Christ, and this groom wants to present His bride spotless before the King. 

The Bible says in Ephesians 5:25-27, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” How prepared are you for this special day? Are you even aware that you are Christ’s bride?

The Israelites also had a moment when they were to appear before the king, and had to be prepared for this encounter. The Bible says in Exodus 19:10-11, “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes. And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day, the Lord will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.” 

The key preparation was to consecrate themselves from every filthiness and sin. Jesus shed His blood so we can be sanctified for the special day-the great day of the Lord. Jesus is still coming to take us home, just as a husband comes to take his bride home. But the question is, how prepared are you for this special day? It’s time to rethink and clean up your heart and mind.

Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank you for the truth of your word sent to me today. I present myself before you today, and I pray that you sanctify and purify me. Consecrate me now that I may be prepared for the coming of the bride groom. I pray that with the help of the Holy Spirit, I shall live a blameless life from now. In Jesus’ name. Amen.