unfaithful bride

If you could love me as a wife
and for my wedding gift, your life
Should that be all I'd ever need
or is there more I'm looking for

The church is the bride of Christ.

Tim preached yesterday about this analogy from John 3, also mentioned in Hosea. In near-East tradition of arranged marriages, the bride and bridegroom rarely knew anything about each other, and probably had never met before. The fathers would get together, and over a cup of wine, would promise their children to each other. The son, no matter how ugly the bride looked, or how flawed her character was, would promise to love her, because his father had told him to.

So could you love this bastard child
Though I don't trust you to provide
With one hand in a pot of gold
and with the other in your side

We as the bride of Christ, are filthy, dirty, tainted. But Jesus, our bridegroom, has been promised to us, and by his faithful love to his Father, has promised to love us. By his blood, we are made holy. We are beloved, we are chosen.

I am so easily satisfied
by the call of lovers so less wild
That I would take a little cash
Over your very flesh and blood

I have been unfaithful, chasing after so many lesser loves, when Jesus himself is all I'll ever need.

I am a whore I do confess, I put you on just like a wedding dress

By the blood of Christ, I am made holy. I am beloved. I am chosen.