What a Glorious Day That Will Be
In recent years we have been hearing a phrase repeated at an increasing rate, a phrase that can often be misunderstood and taken out of proper context. This phrase “the bride of Christ” is one that immediately causes the mind of each hearer to arrive at any one of a number of conclusions. For most men it just seems weird to be called a bride, for some it causes great comfort, for others confusion as to the meaning, and so on. For myself it has always been an area I simply avoided, while I believe I understand the heart of God behind it, I struggled in my flesh with being looked upon as a bride, for one thing I felt very unworthy. If I think of a bride I in-vision one who is pure, one who has protected themselves from impurity, a virgin, one prepared in her heart to be joined for the first time to her eternal mate.
When Dawn and I were married I truly did not understand the gift that she was to me, having not been walking with the Lord the very concept of being joined to another for life was filled with misconceptions and uninformed ideologies all of which were more influenced by the perverted world than they were by the purity of God. It was only after far too many years that I look upon the gift that Dawn gave me with the value it deserved, she had given me herself, something she had given no other man, no other person shared in the gift we had. The intimacy of our relationship was an intimacy shared by no other, it was undefiled, faithful, and true, what a gift!
Today my view on my bride is one that is much different, one that few others have the privilege of understanding, a privilege that comes at such a high cost. You see I now am beginning to truly understand for myself what it means to wait for your bride, to desire to see her, to desire to be joined to her once again. Yes I know that our relationship in heaven will be much different, but nonetheless at that time we will both rejoice in knowing that the path we chose in life was truly one of eternal life in Christ. Someday i will see her again, someday we will share the stories of what we have seen in our time apart, someday she will lead me on a tour of heaven, someday we will reunite, someday I will see my bride!
As I write this I of course have tears streaming from my eyes, my heart pounds with emotion and anticipation, and yet the pain is almost more than I can bare. I wonder, is this how the Lord feels about us? Is He also anxiously anticipating our arrival or the return of Christ? Could it be that the God who created the Heavens and the earth is as excited to be rejoined with me as I am to be rejoined with my bride? Could it be that the great I Am is anticipating the wedding feast?
Again I think back to our wedding day in Shasta Lake California in an small Pentecostal Church a woman dressed in white coming down the isle desiring to be joined to her groom. The white of her dress signifying the purity of her life, and her steadfast commitment to remain undefiled for her groom, her one love. Then I in-vision myself, I too am a bride, I too am dressed in white, i too am now undefiled, as I wait for my redeemer. No I have not lived a our life, no I have not always made the right choices, and yet because of the payment Christ has made for me, I am undefiled, I am prepared for the wedding feast. No God is not going to marry us, an no we will not have physical intimacy, but I do believe that we are to be prepared, ready, and anxiously awaiting the return of our King, someday we will be joined with Him for eternity. Now I understand, now I see, He waits for me, just as I wait for my bride, and oh what a glorious day that will be!
Gene Burroughs Servant of God
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