The Gift of the Bride

 

 

But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things.”  John 14:26 

 Dear Readers, Yes, I know, June is the month for many weddings; however, we chose August.

This week, August 11, we were to celebrate Anniversary 63. That IS a long time! Our long-distant courtship began 4 years earlier; however, we were usually in different States and Korea for a year was LONG-distance!  We did keep the post office busy!

 

 I say that to tell you that Gramps promise to me was his word to love me.  When he returned from Korea, he gave me an engagement ring as a visual sign of that promise.  Later, the promise in our wedding vows became “I will love you ‘til death do us part.”  And, until the day he graduated to see Jesus, he called me “the Bride of my youth.”  You might remember seeing that in blogs that he wrote. 

   

                                                                                                                                                                           

I tell you this because last evening I read a devotional piece about one of the beautiful  traditions of the ancient Jewish Wedding plans –father chose the bride.  The bridegroom gave his pledge to the bride in front of their families and later sent a special gift  - a piece of jewelry of something very special as a token of his love. The bridegroom and family left –‘to prepare a place for her”  – usually about a year, depending on their ages. The bridegroom would return for her when father said ‘go.’

 Have you heard something like this before:  I would like to share Jonathon Cahn’s thoughts from his monthly devotional Sapphires.  The Hebrew language is so very rich in meaning.

     In the Hebrew betrothal, the bride received a special gift, sent by the bridegroom, called the mattan.  Mattan means the gift. The mattan was to prepare, bless and beautify the bride for the time of her marriage. Messiah is the bridegroom and we are the bride. Messiah sent us the Holy Spirit as the Mattan.

The Hebrew word for bride is calah, which literally means the perfect one.  The bride is the one who must be perfect, but she only becomes the perfect one as she receives the gift.  So how do we become perfect?  Not by trying to be perfect in our own strength, but by receiving what God has and living by the gift of the Spirit. The gift of the Spirit is that which perfects us. God’s Spirit knows, guides, convicts, leads, and transforms us.  He will make us beautiful and complete -the Bride, the perfect one.

The Spirit is going to fill the imperfections in each life, making It one of grace and God’s perfection.  So, how does the bride become calah?  By Mattan; by living in the gift and the Spirit of the Bridegroom, Messiah.

 I pray you have received Jesus as Savior and Messiah.  hen the gift of the Holy Spirit is imparted to you.  Receive this gift and allow  Him to fill in your imperfections as you yield more of yourself to His leading.

Blessings,

Gma J

Sorry, new format- I couldn't make pictures any smaller

  .