30 Days of Birth Pangs - Day 30 The Bride

Revelation 19:7-9:  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.   And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed [are] they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

A Bride

Twenty years ago, I was counting down to my wedding.  All of the preparation, time, decisions it was all coming to fruition.  As the days approached, in some ways it felt unreal; a much anticipated event that was finally upon us.  The family and friends arrived from out of town, I took off from work, I scuttled around doing all the last minutes items and then about 48 hours before I walked down the aisle I stopped.

I stopped working and fretting and planning - if it was going to get done, it was done and if it hadn't been done it wasn't going to get done, then that was just fine.  There was a point where I had to stop being in charge, that I had to let others handle what needed to be handled.  I paused and looked around.  90% of the people that loved me in the whole world were there, they were there for me, and if there were things to be done, well what better group of people to rely on?

It's the subtle shift where everything that has been planned to that day is focused on the guest; I paid very little attention to our needs, accommodations, and comforts.  In many ways, it was like planning a party - the hostess does not plan a party so she can enjoy herself.  Standing at the altar, it came crashing in on me that this was not a party.

This was a wedding and that is something entirely different.

At the Altar

That moment, I realized what it meant to stand at that altar, where I received the gift of the Holy Spirit, and ask God to join us as husband and wife. As I closed my eyes, I welcomed a guest whom I had forgotten to invite. He was there.  His presence was weighty, I nearly wept.

I praise You now Lord, that you were invited into this marriage and You have stayed.  I eagerly anticipate the day when I am once again dressed in white celebrating the Marriage of the Lamb.

Come Lord Jesus.

Rapture Index Scores:

Lovers of Self - Day 1: 10 out of 10
Perplexities of Nations - Day 2:  8 out of 10
Mass Animal Deaths - Day 3:  7 out of 10
Revilers - Day 4:  8 out of 10
Signs in the Heavens - Day 5:  9 out of 10
Commotions - Day 6:  7 out of 10
Scoffers - Day 7:  10 of 10
Vexed Souls - Day 8:  10 of 10
Greed -Day 9:  8 of 10
Famine - Day 10:  8 of 10
Itching Ears- Day 11:  10 of 10
Rushing to and fro - Day 12: 10 of 10
Blind Eyes and Hard Hearts - Day 13:  9 of 10
Brutal Men - Day 14:  8 of 10
Wars and Rumors of Wars - Day 15:  9 of 10
Boasters - Day 16:  9 of 10
Messianic Jews - Day 17:  7 of 10
Demonic Activity - Day 18:  8 of 10
Lawlessness - Day 19: 9 of 10
Hedging Your Bets - Day 20:  9 of 10
You Make Me Want to Vomit  - Day 21:  10 of 10
Earthquakes- Day 22:  10 of 10
Nobody Loves Philadelphia - Day 23:  10 of 10
Antisemitism - Day 24:  9 of 10
False Teachers - Day 25: 10 of 10
Asleep Church - Day 26:  10 of 10
Downward Spiral- Day 27: 10 of 10
American Idol - Day 28: 10 of 10
This Present Darkness - Day 29: 10 of 10
The Bride - Day 30: 10 of 10

Rapture Index Total to date:  272 out of 300 or 90.66%