Unveiled

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending a wedding of some close family friends. It always amazes me to see the beauty of the bride as she walks down the aisle to her waiting groom. It is a special moment when the father gives the bride to the groom and lifts up the veil. All of the love of the bride comes shining through her face!! In this moment she is free to share all of herself with the man of her dreams. Her father has given the groom permission to have and to hold his daughter.

This special time in the wedding reminds me of our Father in heaven's gracious gift of intimacy! In the Old Testament, we see intimate relationships between God and man. In Exodus 33:11, it says; "The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend." When Moses came back to camp after speaking with God, something peculiar happened. It says in Exodus 34:29; "When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony (The Ten Commandments) in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD." His face was glowing like a bride. This frightened the people so Moses began to wear a veil over his face. But Moses took the veil off when he went to meet with the Lord.

In the temple in Jerusalem when Jesus was alive as man on earth, there was a veil that hung in the Holy Place of the temple. It was a separation between the people and the presence of God. At the moment that Jesus died, the veil ripped from top to bottom. The veil was from ceiling to floor and about 12 inches thick. Only God could have ripped this veil. It is such a beautiful imagery God our Father gave us. The church is referred to as the Bride of Christ. So when Jesus died, the Father removed the veil so that all believers, who are the bride, could enter into an intimate relationship with His son, the Groom.

God has given us this gift through Jesus to enter into His presence each day and to talk to Him as a friend. In the process of spending time with God, His glory is revealed in our lives. And unlike Moses, we are to walk around without a veil. And as we do, our faces will be shining with the radiance of having God with us! And through this miracle, people will be faced with the reality of the glory of God.

I love meeting with my Lord in the morning. He always greets me with the anticipation of a groom waiting for His bride. He reminds me how loved I am! He shares his thoughts and plans with me. He helps me understand how valuable I am to Him and those He has placed in my life. He fills my cup to overflowing. And then I can go to face the day with His glory all over me and around me. As I walk through the day, I can share His wisdom and great wonders with all I meet. Just like He waits for me, He is waiting for you! Go to Jesus! You are His bride and He is your groom!

2 Corinthians 3:18- "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."