Wooing the Bride

Just a thought…

If Jesus’ relationship to the Bride (His Church) is a larger example of the marriage covenants we enter into with our spouses, then would our relationships need to mirror His example in every way?

For at least the last 15 years I have seen women become emotionally attached to THE ONE long before any relationship has ever been pursued or considered by him. At the risk of making sweeping generalizations, it seems as though women are inclined to invest emotionally in relationships long before the men are. I’ve seen many relationships end badly because the woman was passionately in love with the man before the man had even considered her as a potential mate.

Very rarely does this emotional inequity end in a healthy marriage.

Often, because the women are already emotionally invested in the relationship, the men feel trapped – or pressured – or controlled – and end up running the other direction. When the men run, the women are left wondering if they heard from God.

However, I believe God made men naturally desire to pursue and woo and win their mate.

Jesus certainly pursued each of us.

I didn’t watch Jesus from a distance, fall madly in love with Him and then try to force Him to respond to me with love in return. He loved me from the beginning. He pursued me and wooed me to Himself. My love for Him grew and continues to grow more passionate every day, but His love for me came long before I knew Him at all.

The Song of Solomon talks about this, too. The Shulamite woman tells her friends not to awaken love before it is time. I’m sure there are many levels of revelation about this passage, but I think it certainly applies to us, as women, because we need to guard our hearts and take care to keep our emotions in check. Sometimes God doesn’t answer our prayers quickly – but He will answer them – and when He does – and both parties are on board with His plan for them – let the wooing begin!

His first and forever,
Amey