Ready the Bride
Called, Washed, and Guarded
As we begin a new year, God is inviting us into something deeper. Across two powerful gatherings, a clear and timely word emerged for our church family: it’s time to ready the bride. This isn’t just a theme or a catchy phrase—it’s a call to prepare ourselves as the people of God, to walk in covenant love, and to guard that covenant with faithfulness and passion.
The Bible consistently uses the picture of marriage to describe our relationship with God. He is not distant. He is a wild-hearted lover who pursues us with relentless love, calls us into covenant with himself, and transforms us from the inside out.
Loved with an Everlasting Love
Every great marriage begins with a proposal—and that proposal is born out of love. In the same way, God has proposed to us through Jesus. He came in humility, pursued us in our brokenness, and offers a covenant sealed by his own blood. From the Old Testament prophets to the teachings of Jesus, we see that God is a bridegroom rejoicing over his bride.
We see this in Isaiah 54:5:
“For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name...”
And in Song of Solomon, we get a glimpse into the affection of God:
“You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you... You have captivated my heart, my sister, my bride.”
Our love to him matters. When we respond to him with our whole hearts, he delights in it. We are not just tolerated—we are treasured.
Transformed by Covenant
The covenant we enter with God changes us. Just like earthly marriage transforms us over time, being in a covenant with Jesus leads to real change. Through his Spirit, God takes our past shame, insecurity, and brokenness, and replaces it with peace, security, and new life.
Scripture says in Ephesians 4: “You were taught... to put off your old self... to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
And in Ezekiel 16, we see God as a groom who finds his bride abandoned and bleeding—then cleanses her, adorns her with royal garments, and declares her beautiful. This is what the gospel does. It doesn’t just forgive us—it remakes us.
The Test of Covenant
Love isn’t proven in easy moments—it’s tested. Every covenant will be tested, and that testing isn’t a failure—it’s part of growth. Just like in marriage, where temptation may come to look elsewhere for comfort or fulfillment, our covenant with God will also face testing.
Scripture is honest about this. James 1 says: “Consider it pure joy... whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
Tests and temptations aren’t the same thing.
God may allow a test to grow and advance us. The enemy tempts to destroy.
But either way, the strength of our love is proven by how we respond. And the way we respond is by guarding our hearts.
Guarding Our Hearts and Directing Our Hunger
Proverbs 4:23 tells us: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
One of the primary ways we guard our covenant with God is by guarding the hunger of our hearts. Like a child turning down a meal and begging for a cookie instead, we often run to quick fixes rather than trusting God's better provision. If we fill ourselves with what God provides, we won't crave what's off-limits.
We learned this from Jesus himself. In Luke 4, he was led by the Spirit into the wilderness and tempted by the enemy. But he held to the Word. He rejected temptation, passed the test, and came out in the power of the Spirit. His example shows us that we’re not powerless. We can guard our hearts, resist temptation, and walk in freedom.
1 Corinthians 10:13 promises: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful... he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
Ready the Bride Means Walking in the Light
To guard our covenant, we can’t keep our struggles hidden. Walking in the light is how we keep our hearts clean and connected. 1 John 1 says that when we walk in the light, we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus purifies us from all sin.
Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is simply confess the temptation before it becomes a trap. Temptation thrives in isolation. But when we bring things into the light, we break their power.
Take Your Place in the Bride
As we continue this journey of readying the bride in 2022 and beyond, let’s remember:
We are loved with an extravagant, pursuing love.
That love transforms us in covenant.
And every covenant will be tested—but we are not without help.
Let’s be a people who keep our hearts tender, walk in the light, and guard our covenant with joy. Jesus is preparing a bride for himself—pure, passionate, and ready. Let’s be found faithful.