MARCH 20

OUR PERSONAL PROMISES

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Hosea 2:16

“And it shall be, in that day,” Says the Lord,  that you will call Me ‘My Husband,’  and no longer call Me ‘My Master,’”

Isaiah 61:10

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”

Matthew 9:15

“And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

Matthew 25:6

“And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’”

Revelation 21:2

“Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”

Revelation 22:17

“And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.”

Revelation 19:7-9

“Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.  Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”

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Our book for this month  is called “100 NAMES OF GOD”  written by Christopher D. Hudson.  Each day we’ll take one Hebrew name for God as given in the Bible to study and relate to.

BA’AL

HUSBAND

Isaiah 54:5

“For your maker is your husband – the Lord Almighty is His name – the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer:  He is called the God of all the earth.”

To help us understand the character of God, the writers of the Bible relied on objects and images from everyday life.  Most of us have seen, for example, a big boulder.  We also know firsthand what a dad is, so we can draw on those experiences when Scripture likens God to a ROCK or calls Him our FATHER.  When Isaiah spoke to the people of Israel about their betrayal of God in Isaiah 54, he called God Israel’s HUSBAND, speaking to the exclusive intimacy God wants with His covenant people.  Though Scripture reveals the negative connection of the word BA’AL with a Canaanite pagan god, the Hebrew word BA’AL actually means “Lord” “Master” or “Husband.”

God as a husband?  Most men don’t exactly relish the thought of being likened to a bride, and women with negative marital experiences might recoil at this particular metaphor.  But as demonstrated in His relationship with Israel, God wants to be like a husband to those He loves.

To truly appreciate the image, we have to look beyond a world full of imperfect human spouses and remember that our God is perfect.  Envision for a moment what a perfect husband would look like:  He would be sacrificial, servant-minded, supportive, affirming, patient, empowering, forgiving, trustworthy, reliable, faithful, thoughtful, passionate, compassionate and protective.

A perfect husband wants to spend time with his bride, and wants to know her.  He is interested in her growth, in her success.  He takes interest in his wife’s talents and gifts, and is never too tired or too busy to talk.  He wants to take care of his wife, to keep her safe.  He cherishes her and wants  to  help her become her best self.

Now, let’s take it one step further and envision a perfect marriage.  Such a marriage gives its participants incredible joy, purpose, peace and fulfillment.  The union is about far more than just the husband and wife.  The love in an ideal marriage spills out and blesses all those around it.  The love in such a marriage changes the world – it changes eternity.

Good news!  The gospel says that if you trust in Christ, you are –along with other believers– the “bride” of Christ and you are destined for the wedding celebration of the ages (Revelation 19:7-9).

Enjoy life WITH and be faithful TO the holy Husband who willingly and sacrificially joins His life to yours.

What do you see when you imagine God as the perfect husband?

PRAYER

God our Husband, thank You that the relationship You desire with Your people is closer and greater than any relationship I could experience on earth.  I rejoice in the love You have for me.  Amen

Published by liveinthelightofourlord

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