Betrothed

Betrothed

He was twenty-five. She was twenty-one. I held her when she was just hours old; loved her before I ever saw her face. My sister’s youngest daughter was engaged.

They sat on my sofa and talked about the future. I almost had to blink to see her in the present, not as I remember: at birth, in kindergarten, with pigtails, or in Christmas pajamas and braces. When she looks to the future, she sees the young man beside her clearly. The rest is fuzzy, and she’s fine with that unfinished picture, as long as her groom is in it.

She’s sure now who she belongs to, even if she’s sure about little else. Three years earlier we sat together on a balcony on a cool July night in Aspen, gazing at the moonlit ridge before us and shivering in the chilly mountain air. She was ready to go to college, to test her independence and her ideas. She was sure then about what she wanted, and I’m grateful she’s found it.

She’s spoken for. Betrothed. And that changes things.

What if we knew and believed that we are spoken for? How would our days be different? What if we viewed our lives as one long, tender engagement—as a prelude to a promised eternity with a strong and faithful bridegroom?

We focus our modern ideas about engagement chiefly on the bride, and on the wedding itself. But the central figure of betrothal in Jesus’ culture was the groom: his actions, his provision, his promise. And his betrothal was a binding agreement. No turning back. No second thoughts. Done deal. So the betrothed bride didn’t need to fear the future. She was certain of her groom’s good intent and confident of their shared life together.

We have no need to fear the future either. Our groom has secured our destiny and prepared our forever home. He will defend us against any thief or deceiver, for he has betrothed us to himself in righteousness, justice, loving-kindness, and compassion (see Hosea 2:19). There’s a wedding in our future. Let us count the days with joy.

Your Maker is your husband—the LORD Almighty is his name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.

Isaiah 54:5, NIV