Celebrations come with lots of preparations. This has been a wedding season at our church, weekend after weekend. It is great to celebrate with other people during the big milestones of their lives. For me, it is always a joy to host the bridal team the night before their wedding if I have the space and time. What will they eat? Where will they sleep? I have to ensure there is enough room for the guests. I know the bit I participate in is just the tip of the iceberg of what the couple has to prepare for months.
It is always great when I attend a wedding, because I am reminded that it is a shadow of the grand celebration to come—the ultimate wedding between the church and Christ. Have a look at these feewverses.
Rev 19:6-10
6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:
“Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
8 Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear.”
(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)
9 Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”
10 At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.
The Bible calls the church the bride of Christ, and the bride has made herself ready. The fellowship of the saints makes up the church. You and I, beloved of the Lord, form that church. What a joy it will be when we gather before the Lord as people from different nations, tribes, and races.
Weddings are good, but I can tell you for sure that they don’t compare to this ultimate wedding. Looking at the book of Revelation has given me a deep longing for heaven. No earthly celebration will compare to the celebration in heaven. I’m always fascinated when I speak to a couple awaiting their wedding day and hear how much they look forward to it. Then I ask, what if Jesus comes back today? They are like, “He must come back after my wedding.” I hope this doesn’t make me sound like a party pooper. But honestly, we need to be more excited at the thought of heaven. Being with the Lord should be what we ultimately long for. I am sure that for the believers who have passed on, they have no desire ever to come back to this side of the world is broken and full of misery.
Anyway, I do not want to seem like a prophet of doom. Instead, let this be a gentle exhortation for us to fix our eyes upon the Lord. We need to hold these two realities side by side. Celebrate the wonderful moments the Lord brings your way. Enjoy them. But remember they are just a shadow of what is to come. The same way a toy car that a child gets when they were young doesn’t compare to a real one. I hope we can bear that in mind.
Get ready for this wedding. Turn to Jesus and believe Him. He died for you, and your own action cannot save you. And for you who has already trusted in the Lord, continue to look forward to this day with a deep sense of assurance.
For now, I’m hosting the bridal team ahead of tomorrow’s wedding. I’m definitely looking forward to it. These earthly celebrations are definitely worth it. The joy, the laughter, the dancing, the food, the joy. My oh my! I can’t wait. But even as I wait for the Lord to return, I am grateful that on this side of the earth I can celebrate these blessings with others.