Darkness surrounds her and swallows her, but does not fill her. She floats, as if held up and together by an unseen force that is separate from the dark. A whisper reaches her from nowhere and from all around her.
“She who loses her life will find it…”
In the next moment, the darkness dissipates. She is on a barren hill, but where? And where is her beloved? He promised to never leave her!
She becomes more aware with every passing moment. The first fact that comes to her attention is that she isn't on the ground. She is still suspended, evidently many feet in the air. She looks to her right and to her left, and realization hits. Her hands are securely fastened to a wooden crossbeam. “Strange”, she muses. she doesn't feel the nails.
Suddenly, the pain hits her. She feels everything, from the strain to breathe to the nails in her body to the splinters in her back. She cries out, and notices the final detail. Her beloved is there, his hands secured to hers. He faces her on this instrument of death, suffering it with her. He looks to be in much worse shape than she is, and she weeps for Him.
He murmurs, obviously with difficulty, “beloved, think of the joy set before us.” His fingers intertwine with hers, and she lays her head on His shoulder. “It's almost over.” She realizes then; she deserves this. He doesn't. Nails don't hold Him here; His love for her does. Will she ever know the depth of His heart?
The pain is becoming more and more unbearable. She feels herself fading from consciousness. As the world around her disappears, she hears Him whisper, “it is finished.”
she hangs in the darkness, feeling nothing of the pain that moments ago consumed her. Or was it hours ago? Days? It's so dark. The same voice as before comes again.
“If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection…”
She feels the night pressing in on all sides. But, wait! Within her, where the dagger pierced her heart, she feels a burning. Light! Light, shining out of her. It grows hotter, brighter, chasing away the darkness. Rapidly, it illuminates everything around her.
She realizes that she is still lying on the Altar. The first thing she sees is Him. His face is radiant, and the light shining from Him envelops her.
“Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away with me. See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.”
She takes His hand, and He helps her off of the Altar. They turn to face the priest. “it is well!” He beams at both of them. “Love is as strong as death, it's jealousy as enduring as the grave. Listen to me, O royal daughter; take to heart what I say. Forget your people and your family far away. For your royal husband delights in your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord.”
She laughs, her heart overflowing with joy. “Come away, my love!” Hand in hand, they fly down the aisle and burst out of the Great hall, as though their feet have grown wings. They hear the cheering and laughter of a great cloud of witnesses as they spring out of the palace gates and away into the hills.
“Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude,like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:
“Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear.”
-Revelation 19:6-8
