Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother.     Genesis 24:53

A cute quote from the movie Steel Magnolias was, “The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize!” Ha!  This was another area that could have run into exorbitant cost, but Bonnie’s dear friend Sarah, who was also part of the wedding party, (on Bonnie’s left) just so happened to hobby in making jewelry. She met with each of the girls in the bridal party to give them ideas of what beads she could use that would match their dresses and the different styles of chains for stringing them together. Although many of the beads included the bride’s choice of cobalt blue they each chose a couple different gems and style that personalized their ensemble. She did this at no cost to the girls but as a gift in honor of the bride. She even presented me with a beautiful necklace and earring set as mother of the bride.

Was the giving of jewelry necessary? No, but as I reflect on Gods adorning the bride, jewels are mentioned quite often. I work with a few ladies who seem to have a knack for putting together just the right set of jewelry to match their outfit. Like the dress and veil, you look at the cost of the jewels and wonder if it’s really necessary but when you put on just the right earrings and necklace it completes the ensemble in an amazing way! Ezekiel speaks of God adorning Israel with jewelry: “I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck, and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth.” Is God really putting jewels on Israel? No, the jewels represent what God does in each of their lives in presenting them beautiful and complete in His sight. God doesn’t do anything half way. He doesn’t stop at a beautiful dress or just the veil, He completes you with accessories that compliment and finishes the whole adornment ensemble. He completes you with the beauty and perfection only Christ can provide. Will I be ready when my King comes? Will His church be ready when He comes? He sees to it!

I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of His righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns His head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. Isaiah 61:10