A Beautiful Bride!

These weekly devotionals I will be posting come from and are copyright to Pam Iannello, my pastor's late wife who went home to be with the Lord on June 18, 2008.






This devotion is part of the "Planning a Successful Marriage" series.

I hope you're not tiring of studying out this royal wedding because I'm really enjoying it! Dissecting the scriptures word-by-word, thought-by-thought, line-by-line, really gives you some helpful insight. Through studying the scriptures we are able to see into the very heart of man... As a matter of fact, today we get a glimpse of the way the groom felt about his bride. I don't know about you, but it's hard to choose which one to focus on the most during the wedding ceremony - the bride or the groom. You want to keep an eye on the bride because she is so beautiful in her dress, yet you want to keep an eye on the groom to observe his reaction as she walks down the aisle toward him. As a result, your head turns from left to right the whole time the wedding march plays! Why do we watch the groom? Because we want to identify how the king feels toward his bride! We want to know what thoughts are behind the expression on his face as he locks his eyes with hers.... How would he describe this woman he is about to marry if he had a chance to tell those in attendance at that very moment? We'll quietly turn to verse 13 of Psalm 45 for the answer....

The king's daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold.

The very first thought to come to the groom's mind as he watches his bride come down the aisle is not her outward beauty, but her inward beauty! To him, she is all glorious within. Witnesses in attendance might be aware of her dress, but the groom is looking at more than that which others see. In spite of the beautiful wedding gown that she has carefully chosen and donned, in spite of the special way her hair may be arranged, it is her inward character that has captured his heart. At this very somber moment in time when he realizes that he is now marrying this woman for life, this one he has chosen above all others, he is wholly content with her. He has no regrets; there are no areas of her disposition that would rouse reluctance over joining in wedlock with his bride. He sees no defects, for she is every way splendid and honorable and there is no mistaking this truth by the way he beholds her.

1 Samuel 16:7b
…for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

Like a groom watching his bride, the Lord sees the contents of our hearts and knows what we are… Can you be regarded as all glorious within? What is it about the bride that makes her of an outstanding nature? What is the secret to her internal beauty? Ladies, being ALL GLORIOUS WITHIN is a perfecting, finishing work of the Lord Jesus Christ in our lives. And it is a working that comes about only by the Spirit of God... Through the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit, Christ's bride, the church will become altogether beautiful. And by that same sanctifying power is how you and I can grow to be ALL GLORIOUS within! You see, if we are saved, not a spot of our character should go untouched by the Holy Spirit's government. Though our outward man perish, yet our inward man can be renewed day by day as it becomes possible for us to become more attractive on the inside with the passing of time. In fact, I want you to notice something pertinent to the working of the Holy Spirit in regard to the bride's inward clothing in verses 13 -14…

...her clothing is of wrought gold. She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework...

Yes, the bride's clothing is of wrought gold, meaning that it has been worked on, labored over, formed, fitted, guided, managed, and influenced by the hand of another. The raiment of needlework that she is wearing also reflects the very detailed, time consuming labor that has gone into her adornment also supplied by the hand of another. Whose hand am I referring to? God's hand, of course! The Lord has worked in this bride's life over the course of time to bring her to this very place of being ready to be wife to her king. Throughout her life, the hand of God has labored night and day to form her, fit her, guide her, manage her and influence her for the position of bride, for the position of being queen to a king. God has carefully and patiently sewn into her character the very details of the likeness of His precious Son Jesus Christ! And now this bride is fit, the work is complete. With every step she takes down the aisle, the bride approaches her groom with the likeness of her Lord… Filled with and controlled by the Spirit of God, she is now presented to her husband without spot or wrinkle. The very character of God has been woven into her temperament and she is defined as ALL GLORIOUS. Could she have been presented to her groom before God's work was complete? Not so, for she would have been missing the necessary ornamentation for a holy marriage!

1 Peter 3:4
But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

For those who are not married and battling with impatience, maybe God isn't finished preparing your inward attire yet… He is still sewing into your heart the very details necessary to be a beautiful bride! Exhort those who are eager to marry to trust the hand of God to bring about His perfect work in their lives. Those of us who are married should encourage single women to yield constantly to the working of the Holy Spirit in preparation for that day they greatly anticipate! Every yielding is a godly thread woven delicately and lovingly into their inward character. Yes, the true beauty of every bride is a gentle, submissive spirit to the hand of God. What's more, the groom notes this trait and finds it extremely attractive, above all else. I hope this is a quality your king values in you today! Are you sure you are all glorious within?



God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Revised 2003
Copyright 2004 Pamela A. Iannello Meet Ms. Pam

Other Rise and Shine Devotionals
New Beginnings Baptist Church Website