Every woman who has dreamed of a Cinderella “happily ever after” life can place herself in this picture. The Bride of Jesus, His Beloved.
But, I believe it is nearly impossible for us (male and female) to put ourselves COLLECTIVELY in the Bride’s position — the Chosen, without spot, wrinkle or blemish — the Pearl of great price.
You know this next part already, though…
The Wedding Day is NOT the Married Life. That day we publicly announce our commitment and promises to each other — the “living on love”, cake carbs and sweet highs — is not intimacy (and that is really not what our hearts are seeking after).
The Married Life is a messy and painful mixture of issues, situations and problems laced with tears of pain, anger, hurt, joy and happiness. Cake-like carbs and sugar-highs cannot fuel the Married Life. Only drinking deeply from the well of Living Water and eating daily of the Bread of Life can produce an intimate relationship.
We don’t want to talk about this part, do we?
About all the days we’ve screamed that we’ve had enough and we cannot take this anymore; the times we’ve pumped our fists and screamed in hurt and anger and asked, “where are You? Why aren’t You riding in to rescue me! Why am I facing this all alone? Where are You!” Those answers and the willingness to continue on in the Married Life and not walk away and return to a pre-Wedding Day state are what produce the intimacy we crave. The ability to stand up, regardless of how crippled we are by life’s blows and name the Name of Jesus as our Bridegroom, still … that is what makes a successful Married Life.
To have this scene as depicted in this painting without having a life of walking through every season of life is an incomplete, immature relationship.
To have this scene as depicted in this painting regardless of everything we’ve walked through in this life is the most complete, loving, intimate relationship, eternally.
LTLD 1.30.22
TDuncan 