Ready To Say "I DO?"

How many times have you been a bridesmaid? I've done it enough times to host an Ugly Dress Convention. But we all know that satin monstrosity of a dress you get stuck with is usually just the icing on the cake. Deep down we're wondering, "When the heck am I gonna get married?"

The question is, are we Really Ready? Sure, the idea of marriage is exciting. Picking out the dress, the cake, and the venue are usually the first things we get frantic about. Then we think about the lonely days coming to an end. Great Sex. Emotional security, financial stability. Getting out of debt, and buying the house with the white picket fence. Having his babies. Family vacations, being held every night, and spending up his money. Someone else taking the trash out, warming up the car, carrying the groceries, and the list goes on and on. Spend some time with someone whose been married for years, and they'll be the first to tell you: It's no fantasy! Marriage is commitment and commitment is work. Marriage is dropping the "I" to become "WE".

The thing I'm starting to love about being single is this: Jesus loves me so much, that before he blesses me with a mate-he's allowing me to fall in love with him, and work on our relationship. He's teaching me how to be selfless, and how to serve him effectively in ministry. And the responsibility of this is huge. He's teaching me how to be patient with him(especially when I don't get my way), and how to allow him to care for my emotional needs so that I don't burden my man with them-but rather work them out with someone who knows all the answers. He's teaching me the difference between joy and happiness. And he's giving me the room to work through my past wounds, so I can become emotionally whole without harming another man.

Consider this: The most important lesson we can learn in our singleness is the power of Commitment,Compromise, and Sacrifice. To say "I Do", means to say "Yes" to all these things. During my worship time yesterday, I was listening to the song "Yes" by Shekinah Glory. Now, I've listened to this song many times while screaming yes,yes,yes to the Lord. But this time He spoke to me about what saying yes really means:

"Are you really ready to say yes? You single women want so desperately to say yes to a man, but can you say yes to me? Not just with words but with your actions? There is more that I require of thee.. Can you comitt your life to me, even when it gets hard and you don't like it? Even when it hurts, and makes you uncomfortable? I predestined you before the world began to do my will! Come on up a little higher, think higher, seek my face, hear my voice-and when you hear my voice, harden not your heart. Can you committ to serving me for the rest of your life? For better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health? Can you say Yes, I do to that?"

In that moment, I was completely blown away. Wow! We spend so much time wondering why we don't have the man, why we're alone, why this, why that, why,why why? That we completely forget about what we should be doing for the Lord. Satan uses our emotions to trick us into believing that we need to get married to have our needs met. But that's especially when it's soooo not about us! Life never is! It's about service to someone else. I feel my help coming! If we, in our singleness are not ready and willing to comitt to Jesus, then what gives us the right to expect a Great man?!

Are you ready to say "Yes, I do"? This was my response to the Lord yesterday, But I'll share with you all, so we can do this together... and that way we can hold each other accountable:

Jesus, my love...Today I say Yes to you. And I'll continue to say Yes, because my flesh is incomplete and imperfect without you. Yes, I'll follow you. Yes, I'll go wherever you want me to go. Yes, I'll present my body as a living sacrifice. Yes, give up my will for yours. Yes, I will walk in my purpose. Yes, I'll seek your face. Yes, I'll listen for your voice. Yes, I'll spend time with you. Yes, I'll put aside my selfish wants and desires to give you what you need. Yes, I'll communicate with you and tell you what's in my heart. Yes, I'll allow you to heal me. Yes, I'll take the time to get to know you better. Yes, I'll comitt to learning more about you. Yes, I'll tell others about you. Yes, Yes, Yes. For now and forever, until death do us part.. as long as we both shall live, I do.

A commitment made to the Lord is hard work, but much more fulfilling,valuable and rewarding than one made to man. And a much bigger responsibility. Sometimes husbands leave, or die, and the Lord is still there...committed to you. Are you ready to say, "I DO?

Blessings,

Verse

P.S This pic was sent to me from the bride and she commented on my lack of interest in catching the bouquet. I would be the one you see in the black and white dress watching the bridesmaids go for it!