The Bride

The Bride

My lifelong friend, Amy, was getting married!  We went way back, even before school was stamped on all our days.  Some of my most favorite childhood memories have her in them—the day we rescued the fish—the day we road our horses for miles and miles—the night we put on our girl’s size fourteen sultry one pieces and modeled for her mom—the day we transformed a giant piece of plastic into a swimmer’s paradise.  Amy was always pushing me out of my comfort zone and creating rivets of laughter along the way.

She’s been my friend for the longest amount of days. It’s good to have someone that knows your girl heart that is gently cradled by your woman heart.

Here Amy was, the hour quickly approaching when she would make her groom complete and beyond happy.  I was in the wedding, but also in charge of ensuring the fact that she was dressed on time.  The wedding was to start at 6:30 and the minutes were flying by faster than I could have ever imagined.  I told her I thought we should go ahead and get her dress on but she just laughed, telling me we had tons of time.  I kept prodding her, but she kept resisting.  Finally, I glanced at the clock and it said 6:28. We weren’t going to make it!  She wasn’t dressed!  She was going to miss her own wedding! What on earth would her groom say?

I awoke with a start, shooting straight up in bed.

Funny, Amy isn’t even dating anyone right now, but that dream was real. What if the dream held some sort of spiritual meaning for me, her, or the church as a whole?

I called her, knowing she would want to hear about it.  She assured me that she and Jesus were on great terms and that she was ecstatic about seeing her Savior face to face.  I told her I thought the dream was a picture of the current church, especially in America. 

Do we live our days as if we are about to meet our Groom?  Or, do we think we have all of the time in the world left, therefore, placing Him on the back burner, thinking we can dive into a deep relationship at some other point, perhaps even dabbling in a little sin here and there?

Either Jesus is our first love or He isn’t.

Did you know that the rapture is imminent?

Imminent:  impending, close (at hand), near, (fast) approaching, coming, forthcoming, on the way,  in the pipeline, on the horizon, in the air, just around the corner, coming down the pike, expected, anticipated, brewing, looming

If that’s the case, then there isn’t a single prophetic event that has to occur before the rapture can take place. 

One minute here. The next with Jesus.

Can I get an amen?

I want to live my days ready, wedding dress on and all!

 

All of creation,
All of the earth,
Make straight a highway,
A path for the Lord,
Jesus is coming soon.

Call back the sinner,
Wake up the saint,
Let every nation,
Shout of Your fame,
Jesus is coming soon.

Like a bride,
Waiting for her groom,
We'll be a church,
Ready for You,
Every heart longing for our King,
We sing...
Even so come,
Lord Jesus come.

There will be justice,
All will be new,
Your name forever,
Faithful and true,
Jesus is coming soon.

So we wait,
We wait for You,
God we wait,
You're coming soon.

(lyrics by Chris Tomlin)