I will make you my wife forever, showing you righteousness and justice, unfailing love and compassion. Hos. 2:19 (NLT)
As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you. Isa. 62:5 (NIV)
“Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” Rev. 19:6-8 (NIV)
Lord Jesus, our oldest ache, deepest longing, and most demanding emptiness can only be understood by these Scriptures. We crave intimacy because you wrote it into our DNA. We’re love-hungry because we famish for you, and don’t realize it. We’re wired for hope, because you’ve secured a future for us that requires your return.
Jesus, you are the Spouse we always wanted, the Savior we always needed, and the Sovereign who reigns sujpremely. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we ask you to take us “further up and further in”—take us deeper and deeper into the wonders of your love, the ocean of your grace, the vastness of your delight.
Free us from the heart-dulling limitations of our doubts and disbelief. Forgive us for looking to any human being—some horizontal relationship to give us what we can only find in you. Liberate us from under-believing the riches of the gospel and over-expecting marriage to give us what it can’t deliver.
Free us to love each other as you, our ultimate, Spouse love us. Deepen our friendship with each other, for we are only lovers in this life, but friends forever. And, Jesus, for those of us who are single, widowed, or divorced, make our marriage to you the most defining and delighting relationship imaginable.
Jesus, we praise you for so great a salvation, so marvelous a story, and so eternal a joy. So very Amen we pray, in your great and grace-full name.
