My son gets married this month. Our first child to do so. Today I got the link for their engagement pictures. Lovesick, sappy, but so darn cute I can’t stop looking at them.

While in California this weekend, I watched my future daughter-in-law navigate the to-dos of the wedding list.

We’re engaged too, you know. Betrothed to the Lord Jesus. Granted we don’t know our wedding date. And at times, the engagement period seems to drag on and on.

But are we intentional in how we spend our engagement? Are we nurturing our relationship with Jesus? Are we getting ready?

Wedding Prep

Revelation 19:7-8 (NIV) says, “ ‘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. Fine linen bright and clean, was given her to wear.’ (Fine linen, bright and clean, stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)”

Clothed in the righteousness of Jesus, do our choices reflect Him? Personal purity. Obedience. Service. Are they on our to-do list?

Pre-marital Counseling

Ephesians 5:10 (NIV) says, “and find out what pleases the Lord.”

How well do you know your Fiancé?

Ephesians 5:1 (NIV) says, “Be imitators of God, therefore as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

Can you imitate your Fiancé’s habits and those of His Father? In finances? Emotions? Entertainment? Personal habits?

Time Together

In Revelation 2:4 (NIV), Jesus said to the church of Ephesus, “ ‘Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.’”

How are we spending our engagement time?

With family?

With friends?

With our Beloved?

Our Beloved desires to be our first Love—now and always. Coldness or lukewarm affection is not appropriate. Engaged couples are glued together. Are we inseparable or is He an afterthought? Do others even know we are His?

Wedding details? The Father has it covered. Just like an engagement ring, the Holy Spirit marks you as His. The wedding is coming. Will we be ready?

Questions:

What was your engagement period like?

What was it like when you were first saved?

Are things different now? How?

What do you need to do to keep Jesus as your first love?

Application for kids:

Share about your own engagement. As appropriate to their ages, talk about liking someone, how it made you feel and how it changed your actions—what you thought about, what you did.

Now apply that to Jesus. If lovey-dovey feelings aren’t there, how do you cultivate the relationship? Actions lead feelings, so commit to something and do it.

Practical ideas: Praise time, Prayer time, Journal, Read the Bible, Give up ____ and spend that time with Him.

Tweetables:

We’re engaged too, you know. Betrothed to the Lord Jesus. Are we getting ready? Click To Tweet
Clothed in the righteousness of Jesus, do our choices reflect Him? Click To Tweet
How well do you know your Fiancé? Click To Tweet
Are we inseparable or is He an afterthought? Do others even know we are His? Click To Tweet