He calls us His bride

we are the bride
He is the groom
of all the metaphors
why does God use this one?
Why does He use this explain our relationship with Himself?
for one, marriage is the height of commitment between man and woman
if you have been married for any length of time,
you know a bit about the journey of becoming one
He calls us His bride....
as with all romance,
it begins with deep emotion and feelings of eternal devotion
over time the romance and feelings ebb and flow
there are days when it is a frightening and trying thing to give one's self to another all day everyday
faithfulness isn't a one time decision
it is a choice we make over and again
He calls us His bride....
the desired destination of the journey is married love
married love
this is the love that has dealt with everything from betrayal to boredom
from asking forgiveness to granting forgiveness
from personal anxieties to illness,
from financial worries to wrecked dreams
learning to desire the good of other for the sake of other
learning to trust and give when it is not easy to trust and give
what begins in bliss and butterflies,
by grace,
becomes a mature expression of abandonment toward the other
is it any wonder why He calls us His bride?

wkm