Are you “spiritually engaged” as a Christian to your Savior? How do we act when we think of our relationship with Christ?
My family had come into town and I was preparing for graduation the next day. We experienced fine dining overlooking the city scene for a celebration meal. My family loves food and so to celebrate almost any momentous event, we eat. After dinner, we decided to go to a park for an evening walk. Strolling around, my boyfriend Dan pulled me to the side and said, “Let’s walk over to the bench where we first sat and talked together here.” I took his hand and sat down and almost instantly there appeared two of our friends, one with a guitar. They began to sing a love song and at the end, he proposed.
“Yes!” I said as my whole body flooded with joy. My family and a whole group of people hidden in the bushes jumped out to cheer their congratulations and wishes of happiness for the future. It was a night of romance, music, excitement and love—one to be remembered with family and friends.
Have you recently gotten engaged? Know someone who is? How does someone who is engaged act around others? The typical answer: super excited. Personally, I was radiating happiness; exuding hope for the future. I looked for ways to please my fiancé. I was busy making arrangements for the special wedding day, preparing myself for the one whom I love and planning and dreaming about our future together.
Thinking back to my memories of being engaged, it’s easier for me to understand the analogy used in the Bible of the Church being engaged to Christ (Ephesians 5:31-32).
I realize how hopeful and thrilled I should feel when I think about my relationship with my Creator. He is returning as my Husband and King. Isaiah wrote beautiful poetry saying, “Your Maker is your Husband” (Isaiah 54:5). As His future bride, I want to be eager to please Him and show my love for Him.
Another prophet, Hosea, beautifully pictured the Lord charming His beloved bride, giving her gifts, saying sweet words to her as she happily sings with joy in their bond of love together.“In that coming day,” says the LORD, “you will call me ‘my husband’”” (Hosea 2:15-16, NLT).
Read these beautiful words of God about His people: “I will make you my wife forever, showing you righteousness and justice, unfailing love and compassion. I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as LORD” (Hosea 2:19-20, NLT).
Right now, I am engaged to God. Because I repented, was baptized and continually strive to obey God, I am spiritually engaged to my Creator. I have entered into a covenant with God indicating that I am His. If you are baptized, consider yourself engaged. Jesus is your soon-coming Husband! We can use this special time getting to know His thoughts, His ways and His hopes. The intensity of getting to know the Lord only gets stronger in this stage of the relationship.
Do you have an attitude of excitement? Are you busy preparing yourself and for that special day when He will return to fulfill His vow for us to become a part of His family? Are you eagerly anticipating the wedding ceremony? We should celebrate, worship God and revel in the purest joy when that wedding day comes (Revelation 19:7-9). “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”
That night when Dan proposed to me, we announced it to all our friends. For those who had never met him, I could not say enough about him. I wanted them to know him. I couldn’t wait for them to meet him. I could not stop counting the days to when we would get married.
The time of engagement is a very special time of promise and hope. You are no longer alone. Today, as we wait for our Savior to return, we can have the joy of anticipation. In the meantime, be eager to please God. Continually renew this love and special bond that is available to have with Christ as our betrothed and look forward to being a part of the God Family!
Sabrina Clore was born in Jerusalem and grew up living in Jordan, France, and Virginia. As the daughter of a diplomat, she was able to travel all over Europe and various places in the Middle East while living overseas. She enjoys exploring, learning about new cultures and especially delights in tasting the local cuisine.
She went to James Madison University and obtained her B.S. in IDLS with a history focus and completed a minor in early childhood education then went on to get her master's in teaching. She has over three years of teaching experience and enjoys sharing interesting facts. With a love of helping others, deep conversations and discussing the Word of God, she hopes to make a positive difference in this world.
