On Thursday evening, February 4, 2010, the K squad gathered to celebrate a wedding. Yes, it is against world race rules to marry or even date while on the World Race. Nonetheless, we all married Jesus last night (we being the world race body & representation of the Bride, the church.) In scripture, the church is called the bride of Christ, and Jesus is the bride-groom, who returns to claim his bride. And when you compare Jesus’s love and pursuit of his bride to that of a bride-groom in a traditional jewish wedding, it is amazingly beautiful and enlightening.
In a traditional Jewish wedding during Jesus’ time, the bride-groom who intends to marry his bride will be away from her for a period of time that could last anywhere from 1 – 3 years. During that time he goes to prepare of place for his bride, “the bridal suite”, and build a home for them both to live in. The bridal suite is usually built onto the father’s house of the groom.
While the bride waits, she daily keeps her lamp full of oil & her wick trimmed. She patiently waits for her love to come and get her. When the groom is ready to return, he gathers his friends and goes to the bride’s home and looks to see if her lamp is still burning. If her lamp has gone out, it is an indication that her love for the groom has grown cold.
Similarly, Jesus has gone to heaven to prepare a place for us in his father’s home. And we are to patiently and excitedly anticipate the return of Christ to carry his bride home. So just as Jesus instructs us, we must maintain our lamps and trim the wick daily as we excitedly anticipate the return of Christ for his bride.
Jesus’ love for his bride is so great that no words can actually and adequately describe it. Yet he tells us over and over to seek the kingdom of God and to exciting await his return, actively bringing his kingdom to the earth in the mean time. We have our lives to spend worshipping him.
Below is a copy of the Marriage contract that we all signed. Read it and imagine that Jesus is speaking to you. Jesus love for us is an intimate one, and until we learn to be close to and intimate with Jesus, we miss out on so much joy that comes with knowing Jesus.
Paul tells us in scripture that he considers everything a loss to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus, our Lord. Let us consider that and cherish our relationships with Christ all the more.
I also promise that I will always love you with an everlasting, unconditional love according My Word, written in Jeremiah 31:3 and Revelation 1:4-6.
I promise to sustain and make provision for your every need according to My Word, written in Philippians 4:19. I am now in the process of preparing a place for you and promise that I will come to you when My Father says all things have been made complete according to My Word, written in John 14:1-6.
My dearest, I love you and desire to be with you throughout all eternity. I want more than anything else for you to be where I am. Say yes to my proposal, and I promise never to fail you or leave you wanting for anything pertaining to life and godliness. I am calling you by my glory and virtue to live in My divine nature, and thereby escape the corruption that is in the world. (2 pet 1:2-4)
All that I ask is that you love Me with all your heart, mind and strength and keep yourself pure and unblemished in the world. keep your light shining brightly and your lamp filled with oil ( Holy Spirit), your wick trimmed, and ever watch for the return of “Your Promised One.”
If you agree with this contract, please take the cup and drink deeply with Me.
