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Have you ever pictured yourself as beautiful for the King, King Jesus? Have you considered how He sees you? Have you thought about how much He desires you…yes you.
”Listen, O daughter, consider and give ear: Forget your people and your father’s house. The king is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord.” Ps. 45:10-11, NIV
In the days before rapid communication, a princess would sometimes marry a foreign king and rarely, if ever, see her family and friends again. She would move to a new country to be with a man she had perhaps never met before. She would be immersed in a new culture with unique privileges and responsibilities. Her whole life changed. The familiar was gone; everything was new. But there was no going back.
What would happen if she pined away for her old home and situation? What if every time the king came to see her, she stared out the window dreaming about what had been? The king would not be delighted with her. A pretty face may attract attention, but the attraction soon fades if it is not matched with the beauty of soul and spirit.
Can you imagine how history would have been changed if Esther had not accepted the fact that she had been taken from her home and placed in the king's palace? It was a traumatic experience, but she moved on. She accepted where she was and worked to improve her situation. Her beauty alone would not have attracted the king, for she was in the company of many beautiful women. The grace and strength she showed - anointed by God's favour - caused the king to make her his queen. She was then where she needed to be to save her nation from destruction.
How does this apply to us? Whether we are male or female, in this scenario, we all have to identify as the bride. We have been brought out of the world culture and placed in a heavenly one by our Divine Lover, the great King of the universe. The privilege and opportunity staggers the imagination. We have nothing of value to bring to the table. Beyond that, we were enemies of King Jesus. Yet we have been loved by and brought into the palace of The King. Our hearts should overflow with gratitude. We should never look back. Where we came from was the sewer dump, but now we are in the King's palace as the focus of His intense desire!
Yet, sometimes, we look at the world system and envy them! Like the Israelites, we wish we were back in Egypt. We mope around the palace of the King, resenting all the things we can’t do or the friends/family we have lost. We compromise, wanting what the world has to offer but not wanting to leave the King’s palace either. It does not make us a desirable bride for the majestic King.
The advice to this daughter - or bride-to-be - is to leave the past behind. We have been brought out of the world. We should focus on the King who loves us and how we can please Him. We should enter wholeheartedly into all that our new position presents to us. One of our greatest delights should be to study the Bible to learn about our handsome and loving Groom and our relationship with Him. We should not hold back or complain [do I have to go to church? Pay my tithes? Read the Bible? etc.]. We find our joy in knowing Him. We all have "off" days when we are feeling down, but where is our heart's desire? Is Jesus the focus of our hearts?
We become beautiful for the King when Jesus is our heart's desire. [This is not a matter of pride, for it is a beauty He has placed within us.] He greatly desires to be with us. Do you see Jesus as greatly desiring your presence? How would it impact your Bible study and prayer if you believed it was a lover's meeting? If you were Jesus and heard someone say all the things you say about your new life, would it attract you or repel you?
Sometimes, in our relationship with Jesus, we get caught up in what we are interested in. For example, maybe all we are interested in is improving our life/family, or perhaps we are only interested in studying Bible prophecy. We are being self-focused - many churches pander to that because it is popular. But would you want a bride who only wants to gaze into the mirror? Why is it so hard to get Christians to want to learn about Jesus? Are we only using Jesus for our benefit? If so, it is hardly an attractive attribute.
A beautiful bride is well-balanced. A beautiful bride desires her groom for who he is, not for what she can get. A true marriage is the uniting of two lives. Jesus desires nothing less with His bride - both you personally and the Church corporately.
The bottom line is, of course, He is the Lord. He is the One in charge and requires our submission. [If it is willing submission, we are beautiful for the King in His eyes, and our relationship can develop to great heights.] Jesus deserves our respect and worship - our very best- whether we can see any personal benefit from it or not.
For more information about Glenn Davis, see our About Glenn page or visit Glenn Davis Books.
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