unconditional love
(A short story I composed in August, 2005, while studying church history)
He has come here with her in mind. Seeking a bride, the pure, spotless virgin He desires. But the woman He has sought has forgotten the imminence of His return. Although she is marked for His husbandship, the ring of His engagement sealed on her left hand, she whores herself before His very eyes and prostitutes herself on every pleasure that flatters her. She rebels wildly against the Love of her life, the purity of her spotless Groom. The Man she loves so deeply, she despises with her actions and her thoughts. She wars against the deepness of His love, the penetration of His desire for her, and the purity of His patience.
When He comes for her, will she respond to Him? Is she so caught in her lusts and passions that she will not recognize the Lover of her youth? Will she anticipate the One of whom it is said, “Behold, He is coming, climbing on the mountains, leaping on the hills! My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Behold, He is standing behind our wall, He is looking through the windows, He is peering through the lattice.” (Song of Songs 2:9)? He longs to find her waiting, yearning for Him the way that He does for her. He looks at His bride, whom He bought. Her price was His very life, which He considered no price too high for the bride of His desire. He looks at her with love, He sees in her a virgin bride, not the prostitute of worldly loves. She is lovely to Him.
The bride mourns over her indiscretions. She longs to present herself to her Groom, she trembles at the knowledge of His coming. Although she has followed her flesh down the path of destruction, into the beds of lesser men, she longs for her Lover with an unquenchable fire. For His hold was her body created, for His pleasure was her life preserved. She cries out for Him, “On my bed night after night I sought Him whom my soul loves; I sought Him but did not find Him.” (Song of Songs 3:1) Though many men have known her, only One will fill her and complete her. Only then will her joy be made full, when she is resting in the arms of her Lover.
He seeks her now. The Groom patiently pursues His bride. He is waiting to return to her, as she is being perfected and made beautiful. Although she will never be worthy of Him, she will stand before Him on their wedding day, the most beautiful of all brides, glowing in the presence of His glory. For it is He who makes her beautiful. Without Him she is nothing but a common whore, but in His presence she shines from His glory, reflecting His love in her eyes. He has purified her by His purity. And on their wedding day He will look upon the bride of His choosing and say, “You are altogether beautiful, My darling, and there is no blemish in you. “ (Song of Songs 4:7)
He has come here with her in mind. Seeking a bride, the pure, spotless virgin He desires. But the woman He has sought has forgotten the imminence of His return. Although she is marked for His husbandship, the ring of His engagement sealed on her left hand, she whores herself before His very eyes and prostitutes herself on every pleasure that flatters her. She rebels wildly against the Love of her life, the purity of her spotless Groom. The Man she loves so deeply, she despises with her actions and her thoughts. She wars against the deepness of His love, the penetration of His desire for her, and the purity of His patience.
When He comes for her, will she respond to Him? Is she so caught in her lusts and passions that she will not recognize the Lover of her youth? Will she anticipate the One of whom it is said, “Behold, He is coming, climbing on the mountains, leaping on the hills! My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Behold, He is standing behind our wall, He is looking through the windows, He is peering through the lattice.” (Song of Songs 2:9)? He longs to find her waiting, yearning for Him the way that He does for her. He looks at His bride, whom He bought. Her price was His very life, which He considered no price too high for the bride of His desire. He looks at her with love, He sees in her a virgin bride, not the prostitute of worldly loves. She is lovely to Him.
The bride mourns over her indiscretions. She longs to present herself to her Groom, she trembles at the knowledge of His coming. Although she has followed her flesh down the path of destruction, into the beds of lesser men, she longs for her Lover with an unquenchable fire. For His hold was her body created, for His pleasure was her life preserved. She cries out for Him, “On my bed night after night I sought Him whom my soul loves; I sought Him but did not find Him.” (Song of Songs 3:1) Though many men have known her, only One will fill her and complete her. Only then will her joy be made full, when she is resting in the arms of her Lover.
He seeks her now. The Groom patiently pursues His bride. He is waiting to return to her, as she is being perfected and made beautiful. Although she will never be worthy of Him, she will stand before Him on their wedding day, the most beautiful of all brides, glowing in the presence of His glory. For it is He who makes her beautiful. Without Him she is nothing but a common whore, but in His presence she shines from His glory, reflecting His love in her eyes. He has purified her by His purity. And on their wedding day He will look upon the bride of His choosing and say, “You are altogether beautiful, My darling, and there is no blemish in you. “ (Song of Songs 4:7)
Labels: Bride of Christ, Christ, The Church
posted by Bonnie @ 5:05 PM
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