Jeanne Cesena has written an unusual Marriage UPGRADE about weddings. Her goal is to get us to think rightly about our role as the Bride of Christ.
Jeanne begins with a story:
"My wife had an affair, she left me, and is now a prostitute. God told me to go get her, pay to bring her home so she can be the happy mother and wife. My reaction: Okay God where is she?"
I (Dawn) think some of you might recognize that story from the book of Hosea in the Old Testament.
Jeanne continues . . .
This is an example of how God accepts us as His bride. And how we, as the church, take our rightful place as the Bride of Christ for all eternity.
This is an example of The Perfect Wedding.
In Hosea, God gives us an example of our sins and His eternal commitment. No matter how many sins we have committed, He will accept us as we are today.
Let me summarize the verses about Hosea and his wife-to-be.
1. God told Hosea to marry a prostitute.
Her name was Gomer. They married and had three children and God let Hosea know he is not the father of the third child.
Not only did she cheat on him and have someone else’s child, she then left him and went back to being a prostitute!
2. God commanded Hosea to love her.
“... God ordered me, start all over: Love your wife again, your wife who’s in bed with her latest boyfriend, your cheating wife. Love her the way I, God, love the Israelite people, even as they flirt and party with every god that takes their fancy" (Hosea 3:1 MSG)
We see an example of Hosea paying a price for his bride.
In Heaven, we "hear" a similar conversation between God the Father and Jesus Christ. Jesus had to pay the ultimate price of dying on the cross for our sins.
3. Hosea obeyed God.
“I did it. I paid good money to get her back. It cost me the price of a slave. Then I told her, “From now on you’re living with me. No more being a harlot, no more sleeping around. Your living with me and I am living with you" (Hosea 3:2-3 MSG).
Hosea recommitted himself to their marriage. He renewed his wedding vows.
But his wife Gomer was in a whole different place.
Gomer must have felt shame and hurt over what she had done to her husband and children. Maybe she felt she was not a good wife and mother.
She felt she could not stay in a home environment, and she went back to what she knew—prostitution and sleeping around on her husband.
She must have felt more comfortable with the chaos in her life as a prostitute than trying to be a loving wife and mother. So she left.
When Hosea found Gomer, she was standing in a place of sexual slavery and about to be sold. She had no life of her own. Hosea paid to get her back, as God told him to do. She was his wife.
We are Jesus’ bride. We already belong to our Creator. But He paid a price for our salvation.
Just as Gomer had to accept Hosea’s forgiveness, we must do the same. We must accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, because He died and paid the price for the forgiveness of our sins.
There's nothing that should keep us from living a life as the "kids" of our Lord and King. We were created with a purpose for our lives. But sometimes we pretend to be the harlot.
Be who you were created to be.
Take action—take your first steps to a godly, purposeful life. Work out your salvation and take steps to find and live your life with purpose.
Get ready to celebrate as The Bride of Christ at the Perfect Wedding!
What sin is god speaking to you about that is causing pain in His heart? How or what can you change to recommit your life to Him? What are your "wedding vows"—your commitment to the Lord?
Jeanne Cesena is a strong woman, her strength built through many trials and a growing reliance on the Lord she loves. Enduring threats, abuse, abandonment and psychological struggles, she 
has come to see the Lord as her hope and healing. She is married, has three children—including a "bonus baby" at age 40—and a powerful message to women about God's redeeming power.
Graphic adapted, courtesy of Pixabay.