Betrothed

"Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun"- Psalm 37: 5-6 (NIV).

The symbolism of the relationship between Christ and the church and the marriage between a man and a woman is a beautiful promise to those who trust God's word. The church is the bride of Christ; spoken another way, you are the bride of Christ. Our reward for trusting Him will shine like the dawn, like the shine of the engagement ring on the finger of the bride; a promise of the Groom's return for the one He loves. Christ will one day return to collect His bride from this sin-stained world, from the oppression of His church, of His bride. Yes, before the wedding feast, He will exact His vindication on those who have touched the apple of His eye (Zechariah 2:8). Remain steadfast in your commitment; trust God; Jesus is coming soon. Even so, come Lord, Your betrothed awaits (Revelation 22:20). 

Fully Trained

"The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher"- Luke 6:40 (NIV).

Our stay, while earthbound, is one big classroom. There is a measure of respect our teachers deserve; after all, teachers have something students need and should use: knowledge. Knowledge is the acquisition of information; wisdom, on the other hand, is the ability to use knowledge in making good decisions. Some despise knowledge, and some, according to their life choices, appear to have never gained wisdom. The Bible instructs us to seek wisdom: it's priceless, and nothing can compare (Proverbs 8:11). Jesus is a believer's Teacher (John 13:13). We, as His students, are not above Him; however, we have been promised we will be like Him once "fully trained;" predestined to be conformed to His image (Romans 8:29). Then no longer earthbound, we will break free from our cocoon, spread our wings, lifting to heavenly places. Have the wisdom to decide to follow the teachings of Jesus.

Life Goes On

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal"- 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV).

Life goes on; the clock keeps ticking; days pass by; our bodies tell us we too are enslaved to the passage of time. Believers are content though. Though our aging bodies begin to grow weak and frail, we have the assurance of eternal life through the blood of Jesus Christ. Don't look outwardly upon the temporary, look inwardly to the eternal work the Lord is doing in you. Each new gray hair, new wrinkle, complaining joint, forgetful thought is a time investment toward your eternal glory. The clocks not counting up, accumulating time to show your increased aging, it's counting down; either to the return of Christ Jesus or your arrival in His kingdom and hearing Him say: "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21). However long it took you to read this meditation, the clock counted down several minutes closer to that defining moment when life will go on for all eternity. 

Fulfilling Passion

"It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age" Titus 2:12 (NIV).

"It" refers to God's salvation (v.11). God made us passionate and there's nothing wrong with being passionate, unless it is uncontrolled. Passion is like the water pressure in a fire hose, left unchecked the force can knock a person down. God finds us knocked down and picks us back up again, praise the Lord! Self-control is intentional; it doesn't just happen. Our words, actions and thoughts require self-control. That's the earmark of a spiritual person and one of the nine fruits of the Spirit produced by a believer. We're knocked down whenever we let our passions rule us, but God's been trying to teach us to say "No' to those passions and to live self-controlled lives. We must be attuned to the Father and turn our passion toward Him. Only then will our passions be satisfying and fulfill us.   

Ready to Move

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you"- Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV).

Another terrorist attack. The increase in deadly events could cause people to become frightened, depressed, even paranoid. God has called children of the Light to be strong and courageous; not frightened and dismayed (Joshua 1:9). The devil would love for Christian soldiers to become hand wringers, cowering back into the shadows to hide from possible dangers, dishonoring God and useless in the battle. Would you want to join the army that was moving forward screaming battle cries or the army scattered among the ruins whimpering with their faces covered? If you have fallen back into those ranks, ready to accept defeat, lift up your dropping hands, strengthen your weak knees. Get up. God, our Mighty Warrior, is on the move (Hebrews 12:12). Look to God; He is in control and He is with us. He has sworn: "Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen" (Isaiah 14:24). Be ready to move.

Conditional Offer

"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own: you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies"- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV).

We, the bride of Christ, were bought at a price; a very high price. Bridewealth, bride token or bride price have the same meaning and are still practiced in some non-industrialized portions of Africa. It's money or property that a groom gives the bride's family for their daughter's hand in marriage. A dowry is the reverse: In Europe, Asia and Africa, the bride's family offers some form of wealth to the groom's family for the agreement to a marriage. Both are conditional, an agreement of marriage, the price for their spouse. These very old customs reflect what Jesus did in providing an incalculable price, a bridewealth or dowry, for His bride. It's conditional; the condition is to agree to the marriage. The wedding feast will be prepared; the invitations will be sent. The day of the Marriage Feast is certain to arrive (Matthew 22:1-14). Do you accept His marriage offer? If you do, you belong to Him; therefore, take care, honor what is His, until that day comes.   

Cold Shoulder

"We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. As a fair exchange--I speak as to my children--open wide your hearts also" (2 Corinthians 6:11-13 (NIV).

In many types of relationships, when one is hurt or angry, the response of the injured person is the "cold shoulder." The cold shoulder is a form of punishment by withholding love. Even as Jesus hung on the cross He did not withhold His love, praying for those who were His executioners and those calling for Him to suffer and die. We are to imitate Christ,. not the father of lies, that old deceiver. It is he that we imitate when we withhold love. Fling open the doors of your heart and love; your enemy; those who hate you, those who withhold love from you. Do you know Who said these words? Jesus did; to those "who would hear" (Luke 6:27). Do you? 

Out Given

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, Who does not change like shifting shadows"- James 1:17 (NIV).

People try to give the best gifts they can; sometimes trying to out-give each other; however, we can never out-give God. If we, who are sinners, know how to give a really great gift, how much better of a gift can God give (Matthew 7:11)? He's given Christians eternal life (Romans 6:23). Can that be topped? We try to give back to God, but He returns with yet another gift "pressed down...running over...the measure [we] used is measured back to [us}" (Luke 6:38). God asks us to test Him in giving..."and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it" (Malachi 3:10). His most good and perfect gift was His Son: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son (John 3:16a). Try to out-give God, but be ready; there will be overflow.