Twenty years ago today, I married the man of my dreams. We had an evening wedding. Many people thought we were crazy getting married on the thirteenth of July, but I never have been superstitious. For me the number thirteen represents something wonderful. I still remember every note that was played before I came down the aisle and who entered to what song. I can close my eyes and be there in a moment. I soaked it all in to ponder in my heart like Mary [Luke 2:19].
There was one treasure I received on my wedding day I didn’t discover until our wedding video arrived. We immediately sat down to watch it together and as I watched I was given a priceless gift. My husband forgot he was wearing a microphone on his lapel for our video. I came down the aisle to the Trumpet Voluntary. There is a short intro on the trumpet before the song opens up and as the intro began, you could hear Mark saying “Come on, come on, come on.” Without looking at the videotape you knew the exact minute I entered the room because he began to say “Oh, my goodness. Oh, my goodness.” He had waited twenty-five years to get married and when he saw his bride, he was captivated.
Friends, we need to realize this is the way the Lord responds to us. He is captivated by us. Psalms 45:11 says “The king is enthralled by your beauty, honor Him, for He is your Lord.” The word enthralled is avah and it means “desire, incline, covet, wait longingly, wish, sigh, want, be greedy, prefer.” The Lord desires us. He is waiting longingly for us. He prefers us. Not only does He desire us, He invites us to come to Him [Song of Solomon 2:10, 2:13, 4:8, and Mark 6:31]. Why do we buy the lies the enemy sells us when he tells us the Lord wouldn’t want us; we aren’t worthy of His love. God is crystal clear in His word about how He feels about us. He is our bridegroom and we are His bride [Isaiah 62:5, Revelation 19:7 ].
Romans 5:8 says “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” The Lord loves us, and He loves us just the way we are. We can’t clean up enough to be clean; however, He makes us as white as snow [Isaiah 1:18].
Take a moment and close your eyes and listen. Do you hear Him? The Lord has locked His eyes on you. He’s captivated by what He sees and His heart is overflowing with love for you. “Oh, my goodness. Oh, my goodness.”