In mid-May, our ReformedWomen study group will begin an intense study of "The Ancient Love Song - Finding Christ in the Old Testament" by Charles D. Drew.  This is a subject which has always fascinated me and I look forward with great anticipation to the study and digging in God's Word to understand more about Christ's love for His bride, the church.  We have just completed a study of Martha Peace's "The Excellent Wife" and examined our roles as women and how we are to be submissive and godly wives.  I believe that an understanding of God's role for women is foundational to truly understanding a subject as complex as the one we are about to embark on.  God has given us much information and guidance in His Word to see the importance of our roles as women who love and obey Christ in our submission to our husbands and to Him.  We are a picture of the church, Christ's bride.  We are to glorify Him in that role.  Living as Christ's "bride" will help us accomplish that.

The Apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit speaks in Ephesians:  "For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church."  Ephesians 5:31-32 There are many pictures painted for us here in this mystery -- that Christ, our Bridegroom, has purchased a Bride for Himself (the church) and that He has provided everything that is needed to obtain eternal salvation for us.  He has chosen us before the foundation of the world to be His bride; He has given us the faith to believe, He has opened our hearts and drawn us to Himself, He has placed us in His Kingdom and given us eternal life.  We are His bride forever.  What a beautiful love story this is -- that Christ loved us when we were unlovely and has decked us with beautiful garments of salvation and made us His bride.  There is no bride more beautiful that Christ's bride, the church.  

As we look deeply into God's Word, we will see many wonderful pictures of Christ's love for us and our "oneness" with Him:

"For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called." Isaiah 54:5

and

"For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present {as} a pure virgin." II Corinthians 11:2 

It is wonderful be His bride.  He has adorned us in beautiful apparel and we are His forever and ever.  Isn't this a glorious "love song" we want to sing about?  We will and as we look forward with great anticipation to His second coming for us, His bride, the church, and as we wait, we want to live as that "godly bride" without spot or blemish.  He can help us to do this by obedience to His Word, prayer and loving submission to Him.  This is our goal and why we press on to study more about this Glorious God and Saviour and our Bridegroom!

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