The Beautiful Partnership: Happily Ever After
God’s Beauty and Godly Beauty, a Beautiful Partnership
Awara Fernández, Guest Writer
TODAY’S TREASURE
Once upon a time, there was a television advertisement for men’s wedding tuxedos, and it made such an impression on me that I still remember it and am moved to tears. The closing pitch was, “When every eye in the room is on her, her eyes will be on you.” Yup. I am definitely crying as I write this now. When the wedding music announces that the bride is coming, all the guests stand and turn to see her in her beauty, and we gasp and wonder at her transformation as she enters, clothed in her wedding gown, radiant in her beauty. But, where is her attention focused? On her bridegroom. She only has eyes for him.
In the same way, at the wedding at the end of this age, when every eye in the universe (angels, heavenly creatures, birds, animals, etc . . . ) will be on the Bride in all her splendor, and they will all marvel at our stunning transformation, we will only have eyes for our Bridegroom. And, when we see our King in all His beauty when we behold the “beatific vision,” we will step into the delight that we were created to enjoy, delight that never dims but grows brighter and more beautiful, thus growing more delightful and thus more beautiful forever. We will truly live happily ever after.
What kind of bride is fitting for a King? Ephesians tells us she will be splendorous! This can also be translated as “glorious” or “gorgeous,” or “in all her glory.” Friends, this is more than beautiful! It’s not only okay, it’s good to long for beauty in ourselves, our homes, and our church sanctuaries because true beauty is invitational and always points to God. Christ is at work sanctifying us so that, in our splendor, we will be free from any “spot or wrinkle or any such thing.” The symbolism here, of spots and wrinkles, points us to the necessity of both external and internal cleansing. We can wash away spots, and external dirt, with water. But, we can’t wash away wrinkles. What are they? Wrinkles are the result of an internal loss of collagen as we age under the curse. Spots are on the outside; wrinkles come from inside us. So, Jesus washes us with the word in order to reach deep inside us. You may be familiar with salt scrubs for our skin. Well, the word is a spiritual scrub for our hearts and minds. Soaking in scripture is another beauty secret! Remember how Jesus rebuked the teachers and Pharisees because they only cleaned the outside of the cup and dish? (Matthew 23:25) Jesus is not satisfied with superficial cleansing only. His priority is our internal cleansing (“first clean the inside of the cup and dish”), and He gave Himself up for us so that He might accomplish this sanctification that we can’t accomplish ourselves. Then, because of this internal and external cleansing, on her wedding day, we the Church will be “holy (clean inside) and without blemish (clean outside),” a fitting Bride for a King.
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LIFE-GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT
Have you ever noticed that the Bible begins with a wedding as the Father walks His beautiful daughter, Eve, through the Garden of Eden in order to present her to Adam? The animals, which Adam had recently named, must surely have rejoiced with the happy couple. And, the Bible ends with another wedding as our Father presents His beautiful daughter, the Church, to the Last Adam, while all creation, which will have been recently “liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God,” (Romans 8:21) will rejoice with us. Next time you are at a wedding when every eye in the room is on the bride in all her splendor, turn and gaze at the bridegroom, and his triumphant smile.
PRAYER
As we close out our study on beauty, I invite you to listen to the hymn, “The Sands of Time Are Sinking” written by Samuel Rutherford and A. R. Cousin.
The King there in His beauty without a veil is seen;
it were a well-spent journey, though trials lay between:
the Lamb with His fair army on Zion's mountain stands,
and glory, glory dwelleth in Emmanuel's land. (verse 2)
The bride eyes not her garment, but her dear bridegroom's face;
I will not gaze at glory, but on my King of grace;
not at the crown He giveth, but on His piercéd hands;
the Lamb is all the glory of Emmanuel's land. (verse 4)
Lord, may we be a beautiful Bride, ready and eager for Your return.
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Sharon W. Betters is a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, pastor’s wife, and cofounder of MARKINC Ministries, where she is the Director of Resource Development. Sharon is the author of several books, including Treasures of Encouragement, Treasures in Darkness, and co-author with Susan Hunt of Aging with Grace. She is the co-host of the Help & Hope podcast and writes Daily Treasure, an online devotional.
Contact Sharon with comments or questions at dailytreasure@markinc.org.