One With Christ

I ave written poems for friends' weddings several times in the past. This poem is for an upcoming June wedding. The poem gives a revelation of the symbolism in our wedding ceremony - the ring, the name, the veil, etc. Everything points out that a wedding depicts the union between Christ and His church, His bride. We are called to be one with Him. That's an incredible thought of which we have yet to plumb the depths.

Behold what here now taketh place,
United now by faith and grace -
In symbol and in deed and word,
Forever are we with the Lord.

The bridegroom waiteth for his bride;
Soon she’ll be standing by his side.
Soon they shall together be
Both now and for eternity.

The Bride of Christ comes to her Lord;
All our wandering days are o’er;
So shall we ever be with God,
Nor separated anymore.

The bride appears all dressed in white;
She is holy in his sight.
His wedding garment white we don,
A righteousness that is all His own.

He gives to her a golden band
For the finger of her hand;
The gold speaks of Christ’s purity
He gives to us fresh, full and free.

She takes his name, gives up her own;
By his name now she is known.
As nature in a name is found,
Christ’s to us is ever bound.

Each to the other makes their vows,
Insep’rably bound, as tree and bough;
Worse or better, sickness, health,
Younger, older, poorer, wealth.

He lifts the veil from off her face
And she can see. Amazing Grace,
Christ lifts the veil from our blind eyes
And we behold Him, ever nigh.

He gives to her a holy kiss,
As God caresses earth with mist.
So we receive His love divine,
More precious than the choicest wine.

Flesh of flesh and bone of bone,
Of the two He has made one.
One with Christ – O precious thought,
The wonder that our God has wrought.