He is risen! I can already hear my church responding to this declaration with “He is risen indeed!” Easter is here, a time of celebration after mourning. And no, that isn’t referring to bunnies and hunts for eggs (although, my brother and sister’s church dropping Easter eggs from a helicopter following their service is pretty awesome). We’re talking about the Lord, the God-man, the sacrificial lamb Jesus Christ dying on a cross to save the world from their sins and rising again to be reunited as the Bridegroom to the church (the bride).

Before my home church relocated a few years ago, we would hold our Easter service at sunrise at a large privately owned nature park across the street. Several years ago, the band played “Wedding Day” by The City Harmonic, which gives a beautiful illustration of the meaning behind Easter, saying:

This is the story of the Son of God
Hanging on the cross for me
But it ends with a bride and groom
And a wedding by a glassy sea
O death where is your sting
Cause I’ll be there singing
Holy Holy Holy
Is the Lord

This is the story of a bride in white
Waiting on her wedding day
Anticipation welling up inside
While the groom is crowned as king
O death where is your sting
Cause we’ll be there singing
Holy Holy Holy is the Lord

While this song was played, a skit was done where a young woman in a wedding dress approached an old, rugged cross, giving herself as the bride to the Bridegroom. Even the loud flamingos that inhabit the park screeched in approval at the image and the music.

The Bible uses the bride and Bridegroom analogy many different times. God is described as a husband in the Old Testament in Isaiah 54:5, Jeremiah 3:14, and Hosea 2:19. The New Testament describes Christ as the bridegroom in Matthew 9:15 and John 3:29, and the Church as the bride in 2 Corinthians 11:2 and Revelation 19:7 and 21:2, 9. Revelation 21:1-4 says “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’”

If you’re anything like me, that day sounds pretty awesome. No more tears, no more pain, and God will dwell with his people forever. As Christians we look forward to that day when we will be reunited with our Bridegroom, and we the church will be his bride.

Thinking about that analogy this week got me thinking of earthly marriages, and of my future earthly bride. I’ve been reminded to wait for God’s timing for all of that to fall into place, just as we wait on God’s timing for the return of the Bridegroom.

I’ve been fortunate to be surrounded by some incredible, godly marriages here on earth. My grandparents on my mom’s side have been married 62 years and their love still burns bright. My grandparents on my dad’s side have been married 50 years, and my parents will have been married 27 years this May. I’m fully convinced that standing with every great man is a great woman. One of my grandfathers is a retired pastor who planted dozens of churches in the southeast U.S., and the other is on the leadership team at our church. Both of their wives are pictures of pure joy who radiate love in all they do for their families. My father is out of town travelling with his business fairly often these days, but his true love is spending time with my mom when he is back home. She has stood by him through all of the twists and turns that have come with his work, she changes lives daily in her work as an oncology nurse, and she is an incredible example of a godly life to her children. Both of my parents also serve at our church, where my dad runs sound for the worship team and my mom serves on the leadership team, including being the chair of the leadership team a few years ago. They still go out on sushi dates every Friday night and show what it means to be fully devoted to each other in love and faithfulness.

These are the marriages and the lives I desire to emulate. Ephesians 5:25 says “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” Christ died and was resurrected to be reunited with his bride, and that is what we celebrate in this Easter season. Selfless love, sacrifice, and unmeasurable grace. Just as I wait and prepare myself for the time that my future bride comes, and just as my mother waits for my father to come home from his business trips weekly, we wait for the return of the Bridegroom who was crucified, buried, and resurrected on this Easter Sunday to reunite us to him as a spotless bride, purified by his sacrifice.

Related Music:

“Wedding Day” – The City Harmonic

“Simple Gospel” – United Pursuit

“The Stone” – The Gray Havens

“Resurrection Day” – Rend Collective

Photo: The Gospel Herald