Are You Ready To Say I do? (Its
time to prepare)
Hi Guys,
Marriage on
earth is a tiny glimpse of what our Lord intends to do with us, His Body, His
Bride. Sure its going to have heartaches, misunderstandings, and the
occasional (!!) struggle with the in-laws; but all in all, it is a picture of
Gods real glorious intention for us.
He has
called us to grow into our
relationship with Him for the Oneness He desires with us. This far exceeds
anything we can replicate on earth.
We quote
today from Anna Rountrees book The Priestly Bride (2001), pp.20-23.
She was given a visionary glimpse of this Heavenly Marriage process with our
Lord. We join her in the
(For those
who have read the book, may this refresh your memory.)
Stay
blessed,
----------------
NOT ALONE
Suddenly
I heard someone clearing His throat in order to call attention to His presence.
I looked up. Jesus was sitting in the large, apricot tree. My Lord, I said in
amazement, what are You doing up there?
I
am up a tree, Anna, He said.
I
laughed. What are You doing up a tree?
You
want Me up here, He replied.
I
want You up there? I laughed, for I thought He was joking.
Yes,
He answered. I am localized, and you know where I am. You can come to the base
of the tree and ask Me questions, and then go about your life. I am in a
portion of your heart, but I do not have free access to the whole garden.
I
was cut to the quick. I swallowed hard. Come down, my Lord, I said. Forgive
me. These mysteries are so exciting
well, forgive me that
that
you have begun to use Me? He asked, jumping down from the tree.
The
very thing I have hated, I am doing, I said.
He
walked over to me. What do you want of Me, Anna? Information? There is a vast
supply. Is that what you want?
No,
of course not, I replied. These mysteries are so
titillating?
He asked.
Well,
they are
seductive?
He added.
Yes,
I affirmed.
But
they are part of Me and you have been given all of Me. It seems a poor
exchange.
Oh,
my Friend, I continued, forgive me. I love You and want to be with You. I
want You to have access to the entire garden.
You
are called to know mysteries, Anna, but not to use Me, He said.
TO STILL THE SOUL
I
was speechless. When years before I had decided to pursue the Lord earnestly, I
withdrew my senses from the overstimulation of worldly input. I felt that I
needed to still my soul if I wanted Him to come knocking at my heart.
The
withdrawal from keeping myself entertained with the world was exceedingly
painful. But now the Lord was saying I had replaced the worldly with spiritual
entertainment desiring more and more spiritual knowledge a subtler and less
objectionable substitute, but still a substitute for Him. I did not know what
to say. I was stunned.
He
took me by the arm and guided me gently to the rim of the fountain. Sit down,
He said quietly. He sat beside me. I looked into His face. The beauty and
clearness of those eyes were beyond compare. He took my hand and held it.
A TRUE FRIEND
My
Anna, He said, be a true friend to Me, as I am to you. I want you to desire
My company. I am a King, but I desire to be with you, as any lover would long
to be with the one he loves. I do not command your love; I humbly ask for it. I
do not dictate that you be with Me. I long for you to seek Me. Therefore I wait
for you, Anna.
I
dropped my head. Lord, I said, I am selfish. I am using You for my own
pleasure.
EVEN A KING
He
lifted my chin. Anna, look at Me, He said. Even a King wishes to be loved
for Himself, not for the gifts He bestows.
He
smiled at me. If you do not enjoy being with Me now, why do you believe you
will enjoy My company for eternity?
He
looked down at my hand. The pursuer wants to be pursued also, He said gently.
He
looked up and then over the gate. Have you ever thought of standing at the
entrance to the garden with the gate opened, waiting for Me?
No,
I replied.
You
have expected Me to travel the entire distance to you. Do you not think I would
be pleased to have you waiting, with part of the distance covered so that we
might see each other sooner?
Yes,
I said quietly.
He
smiled at me. Come, My love, let us walk. He helped me to rise and put His
arm around my waist. We began to walk the path that circles the garden. I have
called you to Myself, He said looking down at me. Few understand what this
means. Would you like to know, Anna?
Yes,
I said tentatively. I say this in fear and trembling because I fear not
getting something I want.
He
laughed. I know this. What does that say about our relationship?
It
sounds like I do not trust You, I said.
That
is what it sounds like, He agreed.
Is
it true?
Yes,
He replied.
Well,
Lord, help me! I pleaded. I want to trust You.
My
wonderful girl, He said, My love. Do you not understand? My desire is for
you. My passions burn with eternal fires. No mere tear can quench them. It
would take tears from eternity, and still the fire of My passion for you would not
be quenched. Why would you not trust the One who loves you as I love?
I
could not answer. I did not know why I did not abandon myself to God. I shook
my head. Who am I to deserve such love?
You
are chosen for Me by My Father, He said earnestly. With wisdom that is beyond
wisdom, He has chosen you.
Then
increase my desire to be with You, I said, to desire You more than an
anointing or spiritual knowledge or
I could not think fast enough to
enumerate. I shook my head in frustration and then blurted out: I love You. I
clung to Him, burying my face in His chest. You are the dearest Friend I
have
I love You!
He
placed His arms around me lovingly. My own, He said. He dropped His head back
and laughed as in pain mixed with joy. Then bringing His head to mine, He spoke
softly, Anna, Anna. There was great pain in His voice. Please do not do this
again. He held me trembling. Anna, do not do this again.
I
had hurt Him deeply by treating Him presumptuously, casually like someone with
whom I had to deal in order to receive that which was my primary interest. But
He loved me. He wanted my company and wanted me to desire His. That which is
the deepest desire of every human heart was mine, and I was seeking secondary
rewards.
My
heart began to break. The pain was excruciating. The garden responded also. The
smell of myrrh flooded the area. I glanced at the myrrh tree. Red tears of the
aromatic gum were slipping from the heart of the wood.
I
pulled back, holding Him at arms length, looking into His eyes. My God, my
God, I said. I am not worthy of You. I cannot even respond correctly to the
depth of Your love. Ishi, if You do
not give me a love that matches Yours in intensity
The pain in my heart was
so severe that I could not finish the sentence. With all that was in me I
pushed past the extreme pain to cry out, Oh, please help me to love You as You
love me. I am willing, Lord, but I cannot do this myself. You must do this
through me! Please!
THE IMPARTATION
He
looked at me intently. Then He took my right hand into His, turned it over and
tenderly kissed the center of it. Receive, He said. Immediately, I could feel
the Spirit surging through me. There is no greater closeness than to share one
life, He said.
-END QUOTE-
Is
covering the distance the same as our meeting the Lord in the air; His Body
ascending into Him and He likewise descending, meeting us half-way, so that we
become one in Him? Seeing Him as He is sooner, because He so desires us to
never be separated from Him again?
Is this
what the Rapture, Catching Away, 1st Resurrection, Great
Escape (??) really is?
Remember Ps
91:15-16: I will be with him in trouble; I will
deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my
salvation.
What life
is longer than Eternal Life? Our Lord knows we shall be in trouble (Great
Tribulation?), but He has promised to be WITH US in it and then deliver us from
it. The honour is the body of glory we receive at His appearing.
He shews us
HIS salvation: becoming like Him Our Consummation! Then the feasting begins!
Hallelujah!! -- T