My Husband

And in that day, declares the Lord, you will call me "My Husband," and no longer will you call me "My Baal."

So I could pretend I'm really smart and spiritually tuned-in, so I figured out this all by myself...or I could be honest and say I need a little - inspiration. Really, I just wanted to look up the difference in the Hebrew between Baal and Husband. Technically, the 2 words both mean husband. It's just what kind of husband do you want to have. It is fitting to call God our Lord (I do it all the time). That is the meaning of Baal-husband. But how much more wonderful it is to call Him our loving Husband. This is the other word, Ish-husband. And fortunately I know enough Hebrew to know Ishi is "My Husband". A phrase used only 6 other times in the Bible, and this is the only time it references God. I wonder what they use in the New Testament.

Sorry this just became a fun linguistic adventure!!

Interestingly it's a similar word. The point is God doesn't want us to be just as a servant or slave. We are to have a loving relationship founded in choice. He has established a marriage covenant with us. Contrary to popular belief, the bride is supposed to choose whether or not to participate in the covenant. By accepting the covenant, she binds herself to her husband, and he binds himself to her. God has chosen to be faithful to us for ever. He has come to our house and offered the cup. Will you reach out your hand to accept His proposal? God wants to marry us. Marry me. He wants to have love and affection, not just our obedience. And soon, Christ will be coming back to make good on His proposal. He's coming back for His bride. I think technically we aren't fully married yet if what I know about Jewish tradition is right.

See, a man would come to the girl's home to propose. In what bares and non-coincidental resemblance to the Last Supper, the man extends the cup to the girl hoping she'll accept his proposal. If she does, the man goes away to prepare their marriage-house. When the man's father (see where this is going) says that the house is ready and that it is time, the man goes back to get his bride.

Jesus said even He didn't know when He would return. That's the Father's business. Someday Jesus will come back for us His bride. We will be fully married to Him - though we are essentially married now. Jewish engagements in that time were much more serious than engagements in popular culture today. Maybe this is why it doesn't matter who we marry on earth, because we have another waiting in heaven. We don't need to worry about spending eternity with our spouses because we have a bridegroom waiting. I guess for guys this might be harder to grasp, so I guess I'm glad to be a girl right now :P Either way you slice it, God wants us to accept the covenant and to think of Him as our First Love - not as the back-up plan.

אישי, You are my First Love. I know many have tried to lead me astray, but please let me never forget who I am committed to. I have given You my whole heart; please help me to stay focused on You. You know my anxieties and fears; please remove them and give me courage and strength. Look upon me with mercy and steadfast love. I love You!


Amen. Amen. Amen.