“…To have and to hold; to NOURISH and to CHERISH…”
Familiar lines, huh?
Marital vows!
Such beautiful words. I remembered when my wife and I took ours. It was with such deep emotions.
The union of marriage is such a beautiful gift. But much more thrilling is the fact that marriage is a picture of the relationship between Christ and the believers, His Church. Christ is the Groom; and the Church His Bride. You’re His and He is yours. That’s why His Spirit came to live inside you permanently as a seal of His betrothal.
We are individually parts of His own body; “bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh.” We have become one spirit with Him. The two have become one. One new divine creation.
It’s breathtaking to know that God, the Maker of heaven and earth, would allow Himself to be emotionally involved with us, that He would let His heart be bound to us forever.
God takes a peculiar delight in us. We are the objects of His boundless affection. He looks upon us with such pleasure and deep satisfaction.
“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”
(Zephaniah 3:17,
NIV)
God isn’t merely tolerating you. No! He loves you with such unthinkable affection. He delights greatly in you. He rejoices over you. That is, you bring Him such pure pleasure.
How my spirit is stirred up within me!
Such love!
Here is another wonder for you: God NOURISHES and CHERISHES you.
“For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church”
(Ephesians 5:29, ESV)
Nourish and cherish. These are words of deep intimacy. We will miss so much, if we don’t stay here a little longer.
What does it mean to NOURISH and to CHERISH?
When I looked these words up on the dictionary app on my mobile device, I came up with this:
To NOURISH means to feed and cause to grow; to furnish with nutriment; to supply the means of support and increase; to encourage; to instruct; educate; to bring up; to nurture…
And to CHERISH
means “to treat with tenderness and affection; to nurture with care ; to protect and aid.”
It also means, “to hold dear; to embrace with interest; to indulge; to encourage; to foster; to promote…”
Such infinite richness in just two words!
In a world full of fears and ill will, this truth brings with it such security. Such comfort and assurance. We can face each day with gusto, knowing that Someone has got us totally covered. He is the Almighty God, the One Who is madly in love with us. Our upkeep is His delight. He nourishes and cherishes us. He treats us with tenderness and affection. He holds us dear to Himself. And He is committed to protecting us in a world full of arrows and bullets. God is your Encourager. He is your Promoter. He is your Provider, and Comforter. God is everything to you.
Let this truth stump out fear from your mind. Give no more room to rejection, inferiority and worthlessness. You don’t have to feel helpless or not loved enough any longer. For the King of all the earth NOURISHES and CHERISHES you.
With much love.