July 22

Morning

“Return, O faithless children,” declares the LORD, “for I am your master, and I will take you—one from a city and two from a family—and bring you to Zion. — Jer 3:14 BSB

Christ Jesus is joined to His people in a marriage union. Out of love, He betrothed Himself to His Church as a pure and chaste bride, long before she ever fell into sin. With a heart full of burning affection, He labored like Jacob did for Rachel, working tirelessly until the full price of her redemption was paid. And now, having won her by His Spirit and brought her to know and love Him, He waits eagerly for the glorious hour when their joy will be fully realized at the marriage supper of the Lamb!

Though the glorious Bridegroom has not yet presented His bride, perfected and complete, before the Majesty of heaven, and though she has not yet fully entered into the dignity of her position as His queen, she is already His beloved. She may still wander in a world of woe, dwelling in the tents of sorrow, but she is already united to Him in heart and spirit, precious in His sight, written on His hands, and joined to His very being!

Here on earth, He lovingly fulfills all the duties of a faithful Husband. He provides abundantly for her needs, pays all her debts, and gives her His name and wealth to share. And He will never change His attitude toward her. Divorce is a word He will never speak, for “He hates divorce.”

While death may sever even the most loving marriages here on earth, it can never break the bond of this immortal union. In heaven, there will be no marrying, as we will be like the angels. Yet there is one glorious exception: Christ and His Church will celebrate their eternal union. This bond is not only more lasting than any earthly marriage, but also closer and more intimate. Even the purest and most passionate love between a husband and wife is only a faint reflection of the burning love Christ has for His Church—a love so deep that He left His Father and became one with her.

Evening

When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!” — John 19:5 BSB

There is no place where our Lord Jesus becomes more fully the joy and comfort of His people than in the depths of His own suffering.

Come, dear souls, and behold the Man in the garden of Gethsemane. See His heart, overflowing with love, so full of sorrow that it bursts forth in agony. Look at the drops of bloody sweat falling from every pore of His body, soaking the ground beneath Him.

Gaze upon Him as they drive the nails into His hands and feet. Look up, repentant sinners, and see the sorrowful face of your suffering Lord. Watch as the blood drips from His thorn-crowned head, turning His crown of misery into a diadem adorned with priceless jewels. See Him, His bones out of joint, His body drained like water, brought down to the dust of death. God has turned away, and hell’s forces surround Him.

Is there any sorrow like His sorrow? All who pass by, stop and look at this unparalleled spectacle of grief! A wonder to men and angels, without equal or rival in His suffering! Behold the King of Sorrows, the Emperor of Agony! Look, you mourners, for if you find no comfort in a crucified Christ, there is no joy to be found anywhere in heaven or earth. If the price of His blood does not bring hope, then even the harps of heaven have no music for you, and the pleasures at God’s right hand are empty.

All we need to do is sit more often at the foot of the cross, and our troubles will fade. When we see His sorrows, we will be ashamed to mention our own. When we gaze into His wounds, our own wounds will be healed. If we want to live well, we must constantly reflect on His death. If we want to rise to glory, we must first consider His humiliation and His suffering.