A Time of Engagement

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A Time of Engagement

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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!

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Comments

  • Sabrina Peabody
    Kizzie, I think the other responses to your comment are very helpful. I would also like to offer a perspective you can consider when interacting with others who are not "of Christ." It can be difficult forming close bonds with others because they do not have Christ as their center or they have higher priorities than their relationship with God. But remember, God has a plan that He is working out for ALL MANKIND... that means for each person you interact with, and so at all times try to exhibit God's character -- patience, kindness, gentleness, outgoing concern, etc. There really is no way to become a mature Christian without interacting with other people (those who are "of Christ" and those who are not, and those who are not..yet). It is one thing to know God's character, and another to exhibit it. And at the same time, as already mentioned above, you also need to guard yourself (your mind and heart). So do not invest lots of time with others who do not help you become a better person. Choose your friends wisely and whom you spend time with. And for all people that you will naturally interact with, strive to exhibit godly character.
  • Malachi 3_16-18
    Hi Kizzie, It is better for your devotion to your Lord to interfere with your human relationships than vice versa. By this, I mean that we must put God and His Kingdom first in our lives (Mt 6:33), even if it means we will alienate ourselves from some people who are not following God's way of life (Jas 4:4). Paul wrote that “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Tim 3:12). If you are not married to the individual you mention, you need to spend less time with them and more time with your God and with those who are following His way. It is hard, but your heavenly Father will reward you for doing what is right (Mt 5:10). Ask Him for strength of purpose and mind. You can also pray for your friend, for everyone will ultimately be given a chance for salvation (2 Pet 3:9). I will also pray for you.
  • KARS
    Hi Kizzie, We are told by Jesus Christ to put God our Father first. When we feel lonely and want to have someone special in our lives; we should pray for that special someone to come into our lives especially if we are following the LORD in our daily life. When we get involved with someone that doesn't really care about the Father & Jesus Chrsit it makes the relationship harder to bare. There will be more heartaches and bad feelings than love. In the bible, it states, that two religions cannot live under the same roof (home). I know this to be true for I lived in this situation for 10 years. It hurt. Not only that; it can cause mixed emotions with confusion to ones' heart and mind. Rather than put yourself in a hurtful and compromising situation (forgetting about God and His way of life)which may bring unhappiness; be around believers that can continue to strengthen your beliefs in Christ and not make a hasty decision you will regret later on. If you get yourself involved with helping others in need in your church projects, you just may finally find that special someone while you are serving and helping others. This serving may just take that loneliness away. Having a relationship with a non-believer may be way you are going through these trails.
  • kizzie
    How can i explain my feelings and trials i have been going through with a relationship with a human being and my devotion to know the lord appears to interfere with my human relationships,specialy with those who don't seem to have christ ??
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