Spring has finally arrived in Chicago, and with it comes wedding season.

Brides float in photos; their white lacy dress trains swirling like clouds around sparkling shoes. They beam over fresh bouquets of flowers and smile knowingly during pre-wedding preparations. The bride is graceful and elegant as she twirls lightly on the dance floor with her new husband.

Brides are the epicenter of attention and activity. This is the day they’ve been planning for months – if not years. They envision the cake, the flowers, the rose petals sprinkled on the shiny white runner of the church aisle. Women spend hours watching programs about ultimate weddings, saying yes to a dress, and even how to pull together a reception on a budget.

Young men don’t do this. They aren’t imagining scenes of grand entrances and magical moments of gazing into their bride’s eyes.

But women do. For many, these dreams begin while we are still girls.

Despite all our plans and fantasies, marriage is not “Happily Ever After.”

I don’t want to burst the mythical bubble, (so stop reading this if you’re on your honeymoon) but marriage is NOTHING like the wedding. Marriage is sweaty, gritty, tiring, boring, difficult, challenging, and impossible (without divine intervention).

So, why do we go into it with such glorious anticipation? Where does this instinctual fantasy begin?

We won’t blame Hollywood today… (but this IS a HUGE source of confusion and pain).

Perhaps… our grand wedding dreams aren’t about our husband at all.

What?

In the Bible, Jesus refers to himself as a bridegroom (Matthew 9:14; Matthew 25: 1-10; Mark 2:18; Luke 5:33; John 3:28), and everyone who responds to him in faith, his bride (Ephesians 5: 25-29; Revelations 19:7). 

It even describes the how we will look in all our glory, “His bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear” (Ephesians 5:27; Revelation 19:8). Even our jewelry is mentioned(Isaiah 61:10b).

God’s word assures us that we can eagerly look forward to the wedding banquet feast that He will share with us when He comes again (Revelations 19:9).

Our childhood dreams of the perfect wedding might really stem from our desire to be wed to Jesus for eternity.

Genesis tells us that we are made in His image – men desire respect (as God does) and women crave love (as God does). Perhaps just as God installed our desire to know everything and live forever (remember the tempting forbidden fruit?), women’s dreams of grand weddings and receptions might be woven into our DNA by God himself.

I know… right?  It blew me away when I first considered it.

So today, try to remember how you envisioned your wedding day, the honeymoon, and married life in general. 

Then compare your dreams to the reality of the event and your life.

Don’t match up?

No way they ever could.

Because you were dreaming about your union with Jesus for eternity – perfect, magical and overwhelming.

Now recognize that your husband is only a man – not Jesus – who isn’t capable of fulfilling your dreams of the perfect wedding or marriage. Your earthly husband wasn’t made for this.

Dare you!

Tammy~