(no subject)
It's been a productive week of reading - thanks to Miss Hunter's festival stay with me ... as I was finishing Every Woman's Battle up last night, I came across this bit & it really moved me - a definite valuable life lesson to hold onto:
“I am my beloved’s & my beloved is mine” Song of Sol 6:3
from “Retreating with the Lord” ~ Shannon Ethridge
A radiant bride greeted her guests with a brilliant smile as she entered the reception hall after the wedding ceremony. She gracefully moved and milled about the room, the train of her stunning white gown flowing along the floor behind her, her veil cascading down her button-adorned frock.
She conversed with each guest one by one, taking the time to mingle & soak up the compliments. “You look absolutely lovely.” “Your dress is divine.” “I’ve never seen a more beautiful bride.” What a stunning ceremony.” The lavish praises rang on & on. The bride couldn’t be more proud or appreciative of the crowd’s adoration. She could have listened to them swoon over her all evening. As a matter of fact, she did.
But where was the groom? All the attention focused on the bride & never once did she call anyone’s attention to her husband. She didn’t even notice his absence at her side. Scanning the room, I searched for him, wondering, “Where could he be?”
I finally found him, but not where I expected him to be. The groom stood alone in the corner of the room with his head down. As he stared at his ring, twisting the gold band that had just been placed on his finger by his bride, tears trickled down his cheeks & onto his hands. That is when I noticed the nail scars. The groom was Jesus.
He waited, but the bride never once turned her face towards the groom. She never held His hand. She never introduced the guests to Him. She operated independently of Him.
I awoke from my dream with a sick feeling in my stomach. “Lord, is this how I made you feel when I was looking for love in all the wrong places?” I wept at the thought of hurting Him so deeply.
Unfortunately, this dream illustrates exactly what is happening between God and.. His people. He betroths Himself to us, we take His name (as Christians) & then we go about the rest of our lives looking for love, attention, & affection from every source under the sun except for the Son of God, the Lover of our souls.
Oh, how Jesus longs for His own to acknowledge Him, to introduce Him to our friends, to withdraw to be alone with Him, to cling to Him for our identity, to gaze longingly into his eyes, to love Him with all our heart and soul.
“I am my beloved’s & my beloved is mine” Song of Sol 6:3
from “Retreating with the Lord” ~ Shannon Ethridge
A radiant bride greeted her guests with a brilliant smile as she entered the reception hall after the wedding ceremony. She gracefully moved and milled about the room, the train of her stunning white gown flowing along the floor behind her, her veil cascading down her button-adorned frock.
She conversed with each guest one by one, taking the time to mingle & soak up the compliments. “You look absolutely lovely.” “Your dress is divine.” “I’ve never seen a more beautiful bride.” What a stunning ceremony.” The lavish praises rang on & on. The bride couldn’t be more proud or appreciative of the crowd’s adoration. She could have listened to them swoon over her all evening. As a matter of fact, she did.
But where was the groom? All the attention focused on the bride & never once did she call anyone’s attention to her husband. She didn’t even notice his absence at her side. Scanning the room, I searched for him, wondering, “Where could he be?”
I finally found him, but not where I expected him to be. The groom stood alone in the corner of the room with his head down. As he stared at his ring, twisting the gold band that had just been placed on his finger by his bride, tears trickled down his cheeks & onto his hands. That is when I noticed the nail scars. The groom was Jesus.
He waited, but the bride never once turned her face towards the groom. She never held His hand. She never introduced the guests to Him. She operated independently of Him.
I awoke from my dream with a sick feeling in my stomach. “Lord, is this how I made you feel when I was looking for love in all the wrong places?” I wept at the thought of hurting Him so deeply.
Unfortunately, this dream illustrates exactly what is happening between God and.. His people. He betroths Himself to us, we take His name (as Christians) & then we go about the rest of our lives looking for love, attention, & affection from every source under the sun except for the Son of God, the Lover of our souls.
Oh, how Jesus longs for His own to acknowledge Him, to introduce Him to our friends, to withdraw to be alone with Him, to cling to Him for our identity, to gaze longingly into his eyes, to love Him with all our heart and soul.