Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

A Daily Devotional for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

29 July 2024

Reading From Isaiah 54-58

“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.”

“Afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted,
    I will rebuild you with stones of turquoise,^[a]
    your foundations with lapis lazuli.
I will make your battlements of rubies,
    your gates of sparkling jewels,
    and all your walls of precious stones.
All your children will be taught by the Lord,
    and great will be their peace.
In righteousness you will be established:
Tyranny will be far from you;
    you will have nothing to fear.
Terror will be far removed;
    it will not come near you.”

–Isaiah 54:5, 11-14

     Here in Isaiah, Ephesians, II Corinthians and Revelation the people of God are collectively called the Bride of God.  In the New Testament, this symbology is focused on the Church and God the Son.  In ancient times the bride would be physically separate from the groom before the wedding ceremony.  So it is with us and our Groom.  Though we are temporarily physically separated from Him, our hearts are intertwined and we will one day soon be united with Him at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. 

     In Revelation it is made known that the Bride of Christ, the Church, will enjoy the Presence of God in the New Jerusalem.  Descriptions of the holy city are similar to those of the Church.  Just as the Church is more than the buildings it meets in, the Bride of Christ is more than the New Jerusalem.  Isaiah’s beautiful account of the magnificent construction of the New Jerusalem reminds me of John’s vision. 

     One day the people of God will leave the cares, heartaches, anxieties, sicknesses, and stress of our present reality behind.  Just as two become one in holy matrimony, the Bride of Christ will experience perfect unity with her Groom, the Lord Jesus Christ.   Until then, the Spirit guides us along in a process of spiritual growth and sanctification.  As we become more and more like Jesus, it prepares us for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.  There we will know, even as we are fully known.  Our faith will become sight and our destiny fulfilled.

“God, give me the strength to resist temptation.  Remove sinful desires from within me and please replace them with more and more of Your Holy Spirit.  Forgive Your sons and daughters when they falter.  I pray that our highest priority would be to point people to You for Your glory.  In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.”

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for herto make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church—for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

–Ephesians 5:25-33