This is a name of Jesus that is more natural for women to relate to than men. From the time we were little girls, we have been dreaming about our weddings. My sisters, cousins, friends and I would have very serious deliberations about the man we would marry. Each of us picked out certain physical characteristics he had to have. At the time of these conversations most of us weren't even talking to the boys our age, but deep inside each of us wanted to belong with our own special man. We understood little of what love and marriage was all about, but we knew that we wanted it.

That intrinsic need to belong with a strong protective male figure is brought to life in our relationship with Jesus. He is our bridegroom. As Revelation 19:7 proclaims, 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. When you see Jesus as your bridegroom, do you realize that He is busy getting the wedding feast ready for you? Do you understand that He takes care of everything? He provides the wedding dress, His robes of righteousness. Your only responsibility as the bride is to make yourself ready.

Jesus told us in one of His last parables on earth how our waiting for Him to come for us is like the story of 10 virgins waiting for a bridegroom. (Matthew 25:1-13) Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The wise virgins were the ones who were ready when the bridegroom came.

Engagement periods can be long or short. Many times couples are separated because of jobs, school or other reasons during an engagement. When you responded to Jesus' offer of salvation, you entered into your time of engagement to Him. He wants so much more for you than what you have here on earth. He wants to totally free you from all possibilities of sin. He doesn't want you to live eternally on this earth in its present condition. He has made a promise to you that when the time is right, He will come for you. He has left you for a time because He is preparing a place for you to be with Him in complete delight. He is busy getting ready for the wedding feast of the Lamb and making an eternal home for you. What are you busy doing? He longs for you to be busy inviting others to become His bride too. He wants you to be waking up every day wondering if this will be the day that your bridegroom comes for you.

When you think of the name of Jesus as your Bridegroom, you remember the promises that are made and you realize that your response to Him should be as one betrothed, only waiting for the day to take place. Write a letter to Him today. How would you write to Him while you wait for your Wedding Feast? You might start out expressing similar thoughts to these:

My Loving, Wonderful, Perfect Bridegroom:
How amazing it is to be betrothed to you. When you chose me it was the most amazing experience of my life. You have invited me to come and live with you in a perfect heaven! I know our life together for eternity will be more happy, content, satisfying than I could ever imagine. I literally cannot wait for the day You come back for me and we experience together the Wedding Feast of the Lamb. I am so in awe of you!

I have so much to tell you about what is going on down here. I have been busy getting ready for You. I have been.....

What would you have to tell your bridegroom about the ways you have been getting ready for His return? Think about it this week.