Those in my closest circle of family and friends know that whenever the topic of my future husband is brought up, I cannot stay sitting down or in a monotone voice. In these scenarios, I often find myself standing on the couch and talking way too loud. 🙂 I cannot help but get excited when talking about the man of God that I have been actively thinking of and praying for. I was in sixth grade whenever I first wrote a letter to my future husband informing him of things I learned at my first Christian conference.
It has now been seven years since I wrote that first letter to my future husband. I obviously know he has a name. I am just waiting to understand what that name is. In the meantime of me cultivating faithfulness, seeking Jesus intimately, and living in Him so closely that I produce Kingdom fruit, Jesus is sharpening me and preparing me to be a wife to this man I now pray for daily.
I have not always prayed for my future husband so passionately. I would have crushes on older guys at my school whenever I was twelve. I have obviously liked different people in the past and even completed a commitment to not date all four years of high school. Dating and relationships is such a big topic people feast on in our world today.
In not dating in high school, I was placing my affection and devotion on God, my relationship with Him, those around me, and the callings He was revealing for my life. You would laugh at me but after listening to a sermon on “perfecting your singleness” last summer, I ran around my family’s pond saying, “I’m perfecting my singleness!!” I am seriously laughing to myself while writing this. I went through a season where I was trying to learn how to master cooking. I felt like I was already a pro on house cleaning and keeping things tidy // organized. I watched so many different sermons on how to prepare for a godly relationship. I have devoured books on living purely and living in a way that will honor and respect who God brings into my life.
For so long, the idea of my husband and preparing for him was an obsession and sort of idol in my life. Don’t get me wrong. I have dug deep in reading books and listening to resources that will better my future marriage. What Jesus has revealed to my heart this past year living at home is that the greatest preparation I can do for my future earthly marriage is to be the best wife to Jesus daily.
Jesus gave me the desire to prepare for my future man to love and serve God with. That desire is so not wrong at all. It comes from the Lord. What Jesus wants you and I to place first in our devotions, though, is loving Him. Jesus didn’t place us here to create our own version of love. God IS LOVE. He sets the standard of what love is.
So many of us desire “true love.” You know what I am talking about. The type of love that is rare and only certain couples have it. They have a special bond and connection that we look at in awe. If we really want true love-which the vocalization of biggest fears in my college English class proved to be accurate-then we must first have true Love living inside of us! We must know who Love is if we are going to have His characteristics in our lives!
Instead of consuming so many different marriage and relationship books this past year of my life, I was faced with a hard reality thought. If human love is only a reflection of God’s love for us, then I need to know and understand // live in God’s love more.
Even though I had just come out of my commitment to not date, I found myself aware of my need to be worked on by God. I had fears from past things lingering in the corners of my life. After having someone drop out of my life unexpectedly, I had a fear of who God had for me being so interested and then leaving. I know this sounds crazy and is a personal convo between us, but I am sure you have things in your own life coming to the surface of your mind now.
Jesus tells us in Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV), “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.’”
Although none of us humans are going to be perfect, someone who is living with God will live like Him and mirror His characteristics. Jesus will never leave us! He is right there with you. Let me speak this over you-who Jesus has to be your future husband or wife seeking to model Him will not leave you either.
I have been taking in the past few months and learning different attributes of our Father. We are all still growing. Have you been actively seeking to have the characteristics of God unveiled before you?
I have sat here and chatted with you about my future husband for a reason! I wonder if you are like me and spend your extra minutes planning a secret Pinterest wedding board. We all long for love because we all were created for God and to live in love for Him.
Many of us forget the wonderful fact that WE, AS PEOPLE WHO HAVE ACCEPTED JESUS AND ARE LIVING FOR GOD, ARE HIS BRIDE!
Whether you are a guy or girl // a man or woman, you (who have accepted Him) are God’s church and Jesus’ bride. There is no one that Jesus loves more than you. He knew you, your life, your story, your victories, and your mistakes before you were ever even conceived in a secret place. He knows the circumstances and plans that He has written in store for your life. He knows that sin tried to stand in the way of you and Him having a personal relationship. Sin and Satan have always tried to steal you away from living purely in the Father. Even though you and I have messed up and chosen darkness over Him at times, His love still pursues us. His love for us is one that no tool of Hollywood can ever depict. I love the words and truth revealed in 1 John 4:12 (NIV).
“No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”
We obviously cannot see Jesus face to face physically now, but His Spirit in people is undeniable. The way we love one another shows how real God is. How well are you loving the people God sends into your life and has placed around you?
My heart for sharing this post is for you to realize that the Holy Spirit living in us believers now is only a deposit of what is coming.
“Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” -2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (NIV)
Talking about Jesus coming back is often done in a way that results in scaring us. That is not what I want to do today. Whenever I read through the book of Revelation the first part of this year, what I saw displayed was a Groom ready to be one with His Bride.
If you and I accept Jesus into our hearts today, we will be saved! “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9 ESV). We know who Jesus is and get to start forming a personal relationship with Him. He is one inside of us, but we have yet to see Him face to face. We have yet to physically curl up in His big strong arms! I am still waiting to get my first real big Jesus hug!
Our time on earth is a season of preparation for our eternal marriage with Jesus. I encourage us to read through the book of Revelation and seek God’s heart over what He is going to do in coming back for us. This time He has given us on earth is our time of preparing ourselves for our marriage celebration. We will get to become one with Jesus as His bride in eternity.
How are we as God’s bride preparing to be united with Him whenever He returns? Are we loving other people and building the family of our Groom? Do we realize how valuable we are and treat ourselves in a manner worthy of God’s respect?
I always want to be prepared for what God has coming in my life. I know that’s why I have done all of my different things in waiting for my future husband.
Just think of your wedding day. Would you sit back and not prepare if you knew the date of your wedding was tomorrow? No! We would go to a spa, call all of our favorite people, and do so many different things to get ourselves ready.
What are you doing today that is preparing your heart and others for your wedding with God for eternity? We do not know when Jesus will return to Earth to gather His church before the tribulation, but He is coming. Are you ready?
“Indeed, your husband is your Maker—
his name is the Lord of Armies—
and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;
he is called the God of the whole earth.”
-Isaiah 54:5 (CSB)
Undeniably His 