DEVOTION ~ THE BRIDEGROOM

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Theme: The Bridegroom

Text: Mark 2:19&20

19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.


In the previous devotion, we learned about why we fast taking lessons from the disciples of John the Baptist and the disciples of the Pharisees questioning Jesus why His disciples do not fast. The illustration of the bridegroom and his friends was used to ascertain the reason why the disciples of Jesus were not fasting. Jesus is the Bridegroom and the church is His bride. While with the disciples, there is feasting and therefore, no need to deny themselves of anything. However, when Jesus was put to death, raised to life, and ascended to heaven, His disciples had to fast and pray because He was no longer with them physically. 

Our dispensation is the moment the Bridegroom has been taken away from us. We need to fast (that is to deny our flesh its gratifications) to pave the way for the Holy Spirit to have His way in us. We cannot mature spiritually if we do not nourish our spirit. To nourish the spirit is to fast, let go of every unwholesome attitude, and cling to a purified life to draw closer to God. Dear beloved in the Lord, the return of the Bridegroom the second time will be to judge. How will you face the Lord? Rend your heart, not your garment that the Lord will make His dwelling in you.


PRAYER: Loving Father, thank You for gifting us the Christ our Bridegroom. I pray as He has gone to prepare a place for me in Your presence, may I humble myself to fast and pray. May my fast not be a showoff but rather a genuine one as You have laid down. Today, I surrender to Your will and ask that I be filled with the Holy Spirit to equip me for every good work in the Name of Jesus Christ have I asked. AMEN!               

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