Our walk with God holds many things that make us want to do a double take. When you first get connected to the wonderful permissions God gives us, it seems like there are things that don’t go together. Just like a bride with a sword, the bride is about covenant, while the sword points to war.
How could these two go together? How can we be a bride in a covenant relationship, but also carry a sword for war? The last thing we want to do is bring a sword into our covenant and swing that thing around without thought. Except, in God, as these two images merge together in something powerfully beautiful, we get a better picture of the both/and.
A sword is a weapon of strength, sharpness and close combat. It requires training and self-control of discipline to wield it well. When we think about our words that can cut, defend or encourage and take positive ground in someone’s heart, we realize how closely connected the sword is to our bridal covenant.
The covenant of a bride is a precious connection, a contract of commitment to another. Even though that bride is in covenant, a good, healthy relationship requires us to move that sword well. We can use it as a weapon of war with each other or we can draw the sword as a symbol of our commitment to each other – a commitment that we will fight for each other and for relationship, rather than cut each other to pieces.
As you read this blog, you may be thinking about a marriage, but we have covenants of relationship all across the body of Christ. They are partnerships, running mates, teams, small groups, etc. All of them are meant to be a safe ground of encouragement, edification and exhortation to be, and become, all God designed us to be.
United, we are a force the enemy must reckon with. We are a unified group who work together to be a bridge of heaven to earth. Divided, we turn on ourselves, tear each other up and create deep wounds that can’t heal in the greater battle ground of spiritual warfare.
Our covenant is to treat each other and be in a place of committed relationship, as the precious bride of Jesus. When we have this in alignment with God’s heart, our sword represents our words and passion to fight for each other. Looking at the two in light of each other, they now make sense. We are to prefer one another, fighting to maintain our covenant relationship in Him, just like a bride with a sword.
Christine Casten
“God is my passion. TWC is my Tribe. My life is an amazing adventure as I explore possibilities and dream with God. I am a wife and best friend to John (26 years), mom to my college-aged kids, friend, mentor, teacher/trainer, business owner, speaker, strategist, pioneer and native Texan. I love visiting with Father, Son and Holy Spirit to discover His heart. I love the process of growth and have great expectation for who each of us is becoming. My favorite thing is to see people soar in and through their relationship with God!
Christine serves as the Executive Director of The Warrior Commission (TWC): To find our more about Christine or to see about her coming to your meeting or event contact info4twc@gmail.com.
For more about The Warrior Commission, click here.
Photo by photo-nic.co.uk nic on Unsplash
