I love weddings. I think God must love weddings . . . and brides. After all, the Bible begins with a wedding in Genesis Chapter 2 . . . marriage and wedding symbolism is used throughout the Old and New Testaments . . . and the Bible ends with the marriage feast of the Lamb and his Bride.
My favorite part of a wedding is when the wedding march begins and the bride makes her appearance. As everyone turns and faces the back of the sanctuary I do just the opposite. I face the front and try to get a glimpse of the groom at just the right time: the moment he sets eyes on his beloved. I always know when the bride arrives. The groom’s face lights up.
As I continued reading through the Bible this week I began to wonder about the first wedding. Once again, not many details are recorded in Scripture, only a simple phrase in Genesis 2:22: “and God brought her to the man.”
Although it doesn’t sound like much of a wedding, I bet it was beautiful. Do you remember the scene in Sleeping Beauty when Princess Aurora sings Once Upon a Dream in the forest? The little woodland animals line the path. Tchaikovsky’s waltz is heard in the background. Everyone watches the beautiful princess, including her future groom, Prince Phillip. His eyes light up.
I wonder what look Adam had on his face when God arrived with Eve.
Remember what had just happened prior to this scene. Adam had acted as Grand Marshall at the first parade after which he found himself newly aware of a thing called loneliness. While Adam slept, God stole a rib and fashioned it into a women . . . (a drop dead gorgeous woman I’m sure.) Now fully awake, Adam responds by claiming Eve as his very own. God switches roles from Father of the Bride to Priest. In this role He consecrates the union and deems it holy . . . irrevocable . . . sacred.
Then comes my favorite verse:
“And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.”
No, I’m not a nudist.
I just love the thought of Adam and Eve standing naked before God and one another. They stood in absolute freedom and complete acceptance. Nothing hindered their relationship. There was no baggage. No remorse. No guilt. No shame. (I can almost hear Tchaikovsky’s waltz playing in the background.)
I often have to remind myself that when I stand before God I too am naked and unashamed. Naked because all of my thoughts and ways are known by Him. Unashamed because He assures me there is “now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1). Despite God’s intimate knowledge of me, there is no condemnation. No shame. Nothing but nakedness.
In a sense, God looks at me with that “I just got a glimpse of my beloved” look in His eyes. His face lights up not because I’m stunning. Not because I’m lovely (or even loveable). He looks at me that way because I belong to Him. I am His beloved. I am His bride.
My relationship with Jesus allows me to stand before God naked and unashamed.
Sometimes I have a hard time remembering that.
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