Groomed

When a young Ray Barone proposed to his girlfriend Debra (Everybody Loves Raymond), she whooped and danced around the room. Then with barely a nod his way, she whipped out the scrapbook of wedding ideas she’d collected since she was twelve.

Ray stood aghast as she swung into planning mode, showing Ray bridesmaid dress choices and centerpiece ideas for the reception. “You’ve been planning this wedding for years?” he said. “You didn’t even know me then.”

Debra waved him off with, “Oh, you were just the last piece of the puzzle.”

How many brides consider the groom merely the final detail in their fairytale wedding dreams? How much time do they devote to the event, their one big day, compared to investing in the relationship? If they could, would they opt for a groom-less wedding, since their attention is on creating a memorable occasion that makes them feel like a princess?

It’s a grave tragedy when a young bride pours herself into her wedding plans; high on the idea of a lavish ceremony and noteworthy reception and stunning gown without even giving a nod to the groom she’s marrying.

And isn’t it a far greater tragedy when we want what comes with faith in Christ more than we want Him? When we long for the gifts, not the Giver. When the idea of heaven means more to us than the God of heaven? The peace and joy of the Christian life occupy our minds but not Christ Himself?

He gives good gifts and loads us up with joy and true heart peace. But if we want a groom-less spiritual wedding, we’ll be gravely mistaken. There is no such thing.

PRAYER: Lord, forgive me for the times when I get so excited about the blessings from Your Hand that I ignore Your open arms. Help me remember that faith is not about me. It’s about us.

“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready,” Revelation 19:7 KJV.

Today’s devotional is by Cynthia Ruchti, writer/producer of THE HEARTBEAT OF THE HOME radio ministry and president of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Cynthia’s debut novel—They Almost Always Come Home—releases with Abingdon Press May 1, 2010–http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtZb0by984g. Cynthia writes stories of Hope-that-glows-in-the-dark (www.cynthiaruchti.com).