Day 3

Love is not real love until it is actively reciprocated.

‘Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.’ (Revelation 19:7)

The surprise at the end of the New Testament is to discover that the story of the people of God is all about preparing a bride for Christ. It culminates in the great marriage supper of the Lamb. In a marriage, the couple is deeply in love with each other. The wedding is one of the greatest days of their lives and there’s a wonderful celebration of their relationship together. The groom is concerned for his bride; and the bride is concerned for her groom. It’s a reciprocal relationship.

There’s a difference between loving someone from a distance, and being in a relationship of mutual love. A teenage girl might fall in love with a pop singer, putting his posters all over her walls – but it means nothing to the singer because there is no relationship. It’s just one sided admiration. We cannot love Christ from our side only; we must equally enjoy His love for us. A marriage is built on the mutual enjoyment of shared love in a full and active relationship together. We are brought into a love relationship with Christ. We not only love Him, but are loved by Him, and it is the experience and enjoyment of being loved by Him that brings to its fullest, our capacity to love Him back.

Are you enjoying a mutual love relationship with Jesus?