DAY 22 Encouragement

The kingdom of heaven is like a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son...

Matthew 22:2

Anyone who has ever been involved in a wedding knows there is A LOT of preparation.  Many people spend over a year planning.  There's the church, the reception hall, the dress, the tux, the bridesmaids, the groomsmen, the cake, the flowers, the hair, the makeup, the songs, the service, the food, and the list goes on and on.

In this Matthew 22 passage, Jesus likens the kingdom of heaven to giving a wedding banquet.  According to Scripture, Jesus is the Bridegroom, and the church is His bride.  And just as there is much preparation for a natural wedding, there is much needed preparation for the wedding that is to come between Jesus, the Bridegroom and His Bride, the church.

Now to Him Who is able to keep you without stumbling or slipping or falling, and to present [you] unblemished (blameless and faultless) before the presence of His glory in triumphant joy and exultation [with unspeakable, ecstatic delight]...

Jude 1:24

In My Father's house there are many dwelling places (homes). If it were not so, I would have told you; for I am going away to prepare a place for you.

John 14:2

Jesus is doing His part to prepare us for the wedding and to prepare a place for us.  He has already prepared the kingdom that we are to inherit, so we can trust that He will continue to do His part in preparing for the wedding feast.  Yet, He isn't the only one that has to prepare.  We have a part to do also.

Be eager to be found by Him [at His coming] without spot or blemish and at peace [in serene confidence, free from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts].

2 Peter 3:14

Let us rejoice and shout for joy [exulting and triumphant]! Let us celebrate and ascribe to Him glory and honor, for the marriage of the Lamb [at last] has come, and His bride has prepared herself.

Revelation 19:7

We have need to understand that this life we are living isn't just for the here and now.  Everything we do, everything we say, and everything we go through is PREPARING us for our eternal life in the kingdom of heaven.  We need to take note and be aware of the way we live our life, the work that the Lord is doing in us and through us, and how we are growing spiritually.  If we notice that we seem to be stagnant or "set in our ways," we need to examine ourselves.

Remember, God IS doing His part!  We just need to make sure that we are doing our part of the preparation.  When Esther was taken into the King of Persia's harem to be considered as his wife, she had 12 months of "beauty treatments" before she could even be presented to the King as a possible wife.  12 months!  Now, that's some major preparation, especially for not even knowing if there would be a wedding.

We have the confidence and sure expectation that THERE WILL BE A WEDDING in our future.  Jesus is returning for the church, the Bride who has prepared herself and made herself ready for Him!

Scriptures for reference and study: Matthew 9:15; Matthew 25:6; John 3:28-29; Matthew 25:34; Esther 2:12