God Delights in the Bride of Christ

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. - Revelation 21:2

The wedding of the Lamb is the big image that runs through the final book in the Bible. Jesus is marrying his bride, which is us.

This is the bride that is elsewhere as described as being chosen before time itself, for example in Ephesians 1:4: “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world.”

We’ve been pondering all week what it means to be made in God’s image, with that original goodness in us from the start. Today, take a few moments to think about a wedding you’ve been to. Think about how the spouses look at each other on that day. They’re dressed their very best, they are surrounded by friends and family and so much celebration… and they are delighted.

Now imagine that this is how God sees you, since you are the bride of Christ! Before time began God chose you as the bride of Christ - because back then God could see that goodness in your and delighted in you. And then, at the end of time, when everything reaches its ultimate fulfillment, God is still delighting over you. Delight has always been the governing feeling of God toward you - from the beginning til the end of time.

See if you can just sit in that goodness right now.