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We’ve been gathering the décor, planning the meal, inviting our guests, and anxiously counting down the days. Our son, Hunter Merrell, will be marrying his beautiful beloved, Maddie Bailey, on April 26th. The wedding day is fast approaching!
Going to sleep before the night of your wedding is like Christmas Eve. There’s this incredible feeling of excitement that makes it hard to go to sleep. And the next morning, you wake up bright and early because there’s so much you want to do to be ready for your groom! Imagine if it was almost wedding time and Maddie was still sleeping! There’s no way! A bride is excited about the man and the life that awaits her. And there’s much to be done!
The bride tosses the PJs, curls her hair, powders her nose, gathers her friends, and puts on that beautiful white dress.
She’s preparing to meet her beloved.
Romans 13:11-14
“And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.
12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.
14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”
Paul was urging the Roman believers to be ready for the day that was fast approaching. When he says “our salvation,” he’s referring to the day the Lord returns—the day the Groom comes for His bride.
Church—we are preparing for a beautiful wedding day! Those who have surrendered their lives to Jesus are the Bride, and the Lord Jesus is our Groom.
So what do we do to prepare?
We throw off the things of the night and put on the light of the day! Paul was urging the believers of that day to let the Holy Spirit work within them to change them, to transform them.
In the KJV, it says, “It’s high time.” And I just thought that was a Southern saying.
Friends! It’s time to wake up! Jesus is coming! Are you ready? Or are you sleeping?
Get up!! Throw off those pajamas and the things of the night. Leave behind the old ways and take hold of the new life Jesus offers! Put on the new robe of Jesus’ righteousness—pure white. And don’t mope around this world as you await. Prepare! Shout for joy! Share the hope and excitement that is within you! Share with the world the reason for your joy. Invite them to join the celebration!
It’s just the morning now, but the day is coming!
“It is the early morning, it is the dawning of the eternal day. The sun has scattered the thick darkness of Nature’s night. We are enjoying His first golden beams—the time of the singing of birds has come—the time of the dew of Grace and of the fresh breath of the Spirit. It is not full day yet but, still, the night has gone and the perfect day of our salvation, when body and soul, too, shall be delivered from every taint and trace of the work of Satan, is ‘nearer than when we believed.’” – Charles Spurgeon
The wedding day is fast approaching! Are you ready?
Let me show you more about what it means to live for Christ in this world as we await His return. Go to follow.lifeword.org.
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