A SHOTGUN RECEPTION
We’ve all heard of shotgun weddings, but how about a “shotgun reception?” In Tampa, Florida a couple recited their vows in an intimate ceremony, joined by thirty guests. From all appearances, their marriage was off to a flourishing start. No one knows what went wrong, but during the reception, the bride heaved a plate of macaroni salad in the groom’s face. Not to be outdone, her new husband whipped out a pistol and shot his beloved bride. She went to the hospital and he went to jail. You might say he was more than a mate; he was an inmate. (Source Unknown)
That raises more than a few red flags. First, why on earth would anyone bring a gun to their own wedding? And, what could possibly motivate a bride to shove a plate of macaroni in the face of the man to whom she had just promised to “love, honor, and cherish?” Not quite “happily ever after!”
What a contrast between this anything-but-loving couple and our marriage to Jesus! Ephesians 5:25-33 describes us as the bride of Christ— a picture of intimacy with our Beloved. Yet the joy we experience now with Jesus is a tiny sample of the indescribable experience of being one with him for eternity. Revelation 19:6-9 depicts the bliss of our eternal “wedding feast.” Pure ecstasy lies ahead for those belonging to Jesus.
Here’s why this matters. In our world of darkness and uncertainty, we have hope. This life is not the end of the story, but only the beginning. Our Bridegroom has prepared a future life for us, far more amazing than anything we could ever imagine. When you feel beat down, badgered and burned-out, lift your eyes off the temporal and fix them on Jesus, and our incredible wedding feast lying ahead. The reception will literally be out of this world!
Ponder:
What thoughts or feelings come to mind when you think of Jesus as our Bridegroom?
How do you picture the wedding feast we’ll enjoy with Jesus for eternity?
Pursue: For a deeper dive, study Revelation 19:6-9.
Dear Jesus, thank you for the picture of intimacy we share with you as your bride. With great anticipation we look forward to our eternal marriage feast.