The First Look

I am getting married in a few months. As I think more and more about it I get excited, and not just for the wedding night. I am really looking forward to “the first look.” It’s a tradition that has fallen out of vogue in the last several years, but I think it’s a beautiful tradition. I think it paints a beautiful picture of the gospel. In case you don’t know about it, the “first look” is the tradition where the groom doesn’t see the bride until she comes walking down the aisle. He avoids her all day long so that he won’t even accidentally catch a glimpse of her.

My future bride and I decided to do a “first look”. So there is that moment, the first look, when the I am going to see for the first time. I am going to get to my bride in all her glory. It’s the moment when I see her for the first time as my bride.

If you are ever at a wedding I invite you to pay attention to the groom at that moment. Look at his face, look at his expression. Stare into his eyes, its really a unique experience. I believe that it is actually a glimpse of the gospel. The look on the groom’s face paints a vivid picture of Jesus excitement to have us. But even that look of excitement on the groom’s face pales in comparison to how excited Jesus is to be with us! Jesus eagerly waits for us because we are his inheritance. The gospel says We were an inheritance so worthy that Jesus was even willing to give his life in order to get us. That is what the bible means when it says that Jesus purchased us with his blood.

Jesus desperately waits for the day when he will be forever united with his bride, with his church, that means that Jesus is eagerly awaiting the day when he will see you revealed in all of your sanctified glory.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to 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.  (Ephesians 5:25-32)