Hello Everyone,
It was such a blessing to me that I just didn’t want to wait until Heavenly Friday to send this to you. =)
No pictures in today’s email. I wanted you to enjoy dreaming about what your new life with Jesus might look like without including any preconceived ideas. Makes it more fun that way.
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1 Corinthians 15:51-52
Boy, I viewed a really beautiful story yesterday about the bride (us) and the bridegroom (Jesus). It was based on the Jewish wedding. I know many of you have heard this type of story about how the Jewish wedding relates to us and Jesus, but it always lifts my spirit and I hope it does the same for you.
In the video, the Jewish bridegroom left his house (just like Jesus left Heaven to come to earth), visited the bride to be and then left her to go build the home he and she would live in. According to the custom, the bridegroom didn’t return again until he came for his bride. Also, the home the bridegroom built for his new bride was to be at least as big and nice as her parents’ current home. While at her home the first time, the two had a sort of communion time (part of the marriage proposal just like when we take communion. We’re saying “Yes” to Jesus offer of salvation, of becoming His bride) to solidify their promise, the covenant of betrothal.
Once the bridegroom built their new house, and had all of the preparations in place, he would get dressed up, take all his friends and go to his bride to take her to their new home.
While the bridegroom was building their new home, the bride was to be preparing herself with beautiful spices, jewelry and her wedding dress. She also had people helping her to be ready for when her bridegroom came to take her away to their new home.
She wondered and probably daydreamed about what her new home would be like, and how wonderful it was to be pursued by the bridegroom. She must have thought about how life would be like with her new husband. Her thoughts for her current life with her parents probably started to take up less and less of her time and attention as that life was replaced by thoughts, dreams and the importance of her coming new life and wedding day.
It seems only natural that there were days when she felt weary while waiting, while she longed for her betrothed, their new home, and if the wedding day would ever really arrive. I’m sure the bridegroom made his preparations with her on his mind anxious for the day when the two of them would be together, forever.
According to Jewish tradition, the time between their first meeting, their betrothal, and the day the bridegroom came for her was normally about one year. Also, according to tradition, the bride really never knew the exact time he would come for her so she remained ready for that day.
Jesus’ first coming, about 2000 years ago, was to betroth His bride. The entire time He’s been away from her (from earth), He’s been building His bride her eternal home and making all of the arrangements for their wedding day. Tradition even makes it sound like He’ll have communion with His new bride on their wedding day (Mark 14:25).
Sometimes, the things of earth can consume our attention. We can be tempted to grow weary, and bogged down, to forget about our coming wedding day. But, yesterday’s video about the Jewish betrothal and wedding ceremony, that day when the bridegroom’s men blew trumpets and came for his bride reminded me again to keep looking up. Our redemption is truly drawing near. Our betrothed (Jesus) is at the door, He’s coming for us. We’ll soon be His in our new home beyond the skies, forever. Our past life will fade away, there with Him, there will be no more tears, and we will begin “forever.” We’ll finally be where we belong with Him in our new home, and we’ll finally feel like we’re home with the One our hearts have longed for, our beloved Jesus.
Someday soon, in the twinkling of an eye, all of our dreams will have come true…
Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that He is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened.…
Matthew 24:32-34
God bless each of you,
Mark