Does Jesus Christ have the right to have a love affair? He is the divine Son of God to whom “all power is given in heaven and in earth” (Matt. 28:18), myriads of angels in the vast universe of its Milky Way of suns and worlds await His most minute and grandest biddings; and yet He is a lonely Man in heaven. “Home” to Him is earth; His humanity is as complete as is His divinity. His heart is with His struggling ones here below.
No woman on earth is worthy to be the bride of the Son of God; the “one woman” whom He loves is His church. Twenty-seven year old Samuel Stone understood with words that have thrilled countless believers in Jesus: “From heaven He came and sought her / to be His holy Bride; / with His own blood He bought her, / and for her life He died.”
But His search is not ended. The Savior is still seeking a church that loves truth more than loves self or the world. A mysterious oneness operates beneath the surface in the church that the Enemy of Christ cannot fathom. “Elect from every nation, / Yet one o’er all the earth,” His “My people” today await the hearing of that Voice that penetrates the remotest bound of Babylon’s massive confusion. It says, “Come out of her, My people” (Rev. 18:4).
The Bridegroom does the seeking; the Bride-to-be does the responding. Every truth that comes revealed is met by her with whole-hearted acceptance, no matter what the humbling of self may require. Her repentance includes forsaking that alluring “rich-and-increased-with-goods” pride that has made His church too often the object of the world’s merited scorn. The path of true love is never smooth, say the wise ones; and Christ’s bride-to-be is constantly finding new occasions for humbling the corporate heart in painful repentance that becomes joyous the moment it is embraced. She is growing up out of childishness; Christ’s love for her as a Bridegroom rejoices in her growing maturity. Some day (hopefully very soon) she will see herself as the world and as heaven have seen her and will “repent in dust and ashes” for her infidelity to the only One who has ever loved her truly.
She will love the truth that separates her from the world, and will gladly bear its persecution and endure the trials of the last days and will joy in standing loyal to Christ. Her self-respect will be enhanced by her corporate realization that she is the object of the Lord’s conjugal love.
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
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