Marriage and Honor
Our bridegroom is zealous. He desires a bride, beautiful, pure. Picture it--
All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold.
In many-colored robes she is led to the king,
with her virgin companions following behind her.
With joy and gladness they are led along
as they enter the palace of the king.
Ps. 45:13-16
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit....
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;
my soul shall exult in my God,
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Isa. 61:3, 10
And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord. Hosea 2:19-20
All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold.
In many-colored robes she is led to the king,
with her virgin companions following behind her.
With joy and gladness they are led along
as they enter the palace of the king.
Ps. 45:13-16
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit....
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;
my soul shall exult in my God,
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Isa. 61:3, 10
And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord. Hosea 2:19-20
Picture her--us--robed. Clothed. Pure. Shining. Glory. Crowns and gold, jewels and rubies and sapphire. A bride of light.
He himself stitches these robes, crafts the jewels, places the crown. He is too loving, too zealous, to enamored to let anyone else. He is not stingy with himself or his care. How is he crafting these robes and jewels?
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2 Cor. 4:17-18 (cf. Jas. 1:2-3; Rom. 5:1-5; Rom. 8:22-30; book of 1 Peter).
Our afflictions. Our sufferings. Our temptations we reject and let form us. Our trials. These rags and horrors and darknesses are taken. Each one is a stitch in our robes in his hands, a crafting of a new jewel in our crown. The standing in the blow of the news of cancer is another stitch of a gold-bedecked white gown; the agonized waiting for the court decision is another sapphire; the weary courage to face another deep dark day of anxiety and depression is a glowing ruby....
And someday--someday--we will take those crowns, so lovingly crafted by him, and lay them down before him. Our precious union and marriage with him is to honor him above all. We treasure our sufferings and trials, because they are jewels for him. The joy, the joy, the sweet, sweet joy of taking each trial-jewel, the crowns of our suffering-gold, and laying them down before him. Before him. The one who has carried us through, who has crafted us, washed us, cleansed us, loved us... To lay this treasure and radiance before him and feel his presence. A staggering realness, a penetrating radiance, a glowing living Love.
He himself stitches these robes, crafts the jewels, places the crown. He is too loving, too zealous, to enamored to let anyone else. He is not stingy with himself or his care. How is he crafting these robes and jewels?
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 2 Cor. 4:17-18 (cf. Jas. 1:2-3; Rom. 5:1-5; Rom. 8:22-30; book of 1 Peter).
Our afflictions. Our sufferings. Our temptations we reject and let form us. Our trials. These rags and horrors and darknesses are taken. Each one is a stitch in our robes in his hands, a crafting of a new jewel in our crown. The standing in the blow of the news of cancer is another stitch of a gold-bedecked white gown; the agonized waiting for the court decision is another sapphire; the weary courage to face another deep dark day of anxiety and depression is a glowing ruby....
And someday--someday--we will take those crowns, so lovingly crafted by him, and lay them down before him. Our precious union and marriage with him is to honor him above all. We treasure our sufferings and trials, because they are jewels for him. The joy, the joy, the sweet, sweet joy of taking each trial-jewel, the crowns of our suffering-gold, and laying them down before him. Before him. The one who has carried us through, who has crafted us, washed us, cleansed us, loved us... To lay this treasure and radiance before him and feel his presence. A staggering realness, a penetrating radiance, a glowing living Love.
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