Let your groom clean your dress

One of the most exciting purchases for a woman's wedding, is the purchase of her wedding dress. We plan that special day with our closest friends and parents, and we go around the world searching for the wedding dress of our dreams. It must look a certain way, fit in a special way, and attract the attention and approval of onlookers and most importantly; that special man waiting at the end of the aisle for us. My wedding dress, like all, was purchased in advance to the wedding date. Now, I know most would think that the bulk of the stress would be removed once this dress was purchased, but for myself, this is where the stress began. I found myself putting on this dress daily, in excitement for the BIG DAY! Each day I put this dress on, I noticed this dress that was purchased for me began to become to turn from a bright white to a dirty beige. I didn't think much of the change of color my wedding dress had taken on; after a while I had forgotten that what was once a bright beautiful wedding dress, had lost its pureness. So the big day arrived, and there I stood in front of my mirror with my hair and makeup done so beautifully. I had my something old, my something new, but found that there was no need for anything borrowed or anything blue... I mean, what was once my beautiful, pure white wedding dress appeared to be borrowed, and had grabbed on to many different colors, including blue. "They wont notice." I thought, "I'll just walk out there full of confidence, not letting anyone know that this dress which was purchased with sweat and blood had somehow gotten dirty". I reassured myself that no one would notice, and grabbed my bouquet of flowers and prepared to walk down the aisle to meet my groom. "He'll love me regardless, despite of how dirty I appear..." I said, as I prepared to enter the sanctuary. The doors opened, the guests stood, and "Here Comes the Bride" played on the organ. "I got this! No one will even notice how dirty the dress is!" I whispered to myself. I took one step and then another, and with each step taken, the whispers and comments hit were hit my ears like knives! "Look at how filthy that dress is!" one visitor exclaimed; while another said "He'd be a fool to marry her looking like that!". Somehow, through all the comments I made it to the alter, where He stood. My veil was no longer just hiding my beauty from Him, but my shame and embarrassment. "I'm sorry" I whispered. My head still down in shame, and He lifted my veil. "For what?" He asked as he looked at my tear stricken face. "I'm dirty, don't you see? I wanted to be beautiful for you. But I wanted to make sure that the guests would think I was just as beautiful. I know this dress was bought with blood, sweat, and tears, but now I've made it worthless!". "Worthless?" He asked. How many times have gone out into the world, and gotten your wedding dress dirty? I'm sure its happened more times than you can remember. We are all walking around ashamed and embarrassed of the stains that we've managed to get that we find ourselves running from God, instead of to Him. Many stains are embedded deeper than we would ever think could be removed, but thankfully we serve such a God, a groom even, that loves us despite of the stains, the falls, the failures, the hiccups. He doesn't care what others say, He doesn't care what we've done, He just wants to marry us so He can clean us! Many times, we find ourselves so consumed with the thoughts and hurry of getting married, but we often find ourselves neglecting the groom of the church. Christ! I remember such a time, when I went to Him with my dirty, stained dress; I didn't even know where to begin to apologize for ruining what was purchased with His only Son's blood, sweat, and tears! So I didn't. I continued to go into the world, and gain even more stains, and dirt before what was once a pure white wedding dress, appeared to be nothing but an old wash rag. "You don't get it, do you? The wedding dress can be repaired and cleaned, but you my love, can't be too ashamed to come to me! The blood, the sweat, and tears were used to purchase you...BECAUSE YOU ARE WORTH IT!" Let your groom, clean your dress ladies!