I’ve had several occasions to be separated from my family during my years in the Air Force. One of the most difficult times for me was when I went to Officer Training School. I don’t know if it was “true love” or just the rigors of the 16-week program, but I missed my wife something terrible! I missed the kids too, but it just wasn’t the same as the way I missed her. Of course, the Air Force has trainee-torture down to a science by now, so they purposefully held our mail for the first couple of weeks (“Hell weeks,” as we called them!) and they kept our phone privileges down to five minutes a day. Once we did get our mail, I made my wife promise to write me every single day. That way I would always have something from her to read. I missed her, and I missed our home–these letters and our very short conversations were my only connection with my other half–the one who completes me. After a couple of months, when they finally told us we could see our families, I actually had my wife fly down to meet me for an hour and a half of supervised visitation. There’s nothing quite like the love shared between a man and wife–God ordained it to be that way… The covenant of marriage was the very first covenant He instituted.
Knowing Jesus loved us enough to endure the horror of the cross, is it any wonder we are repeatedly called the “Bride of Christ” in the Holy Scriptures? There’s no length a Godly husband won’t go to for his bride. Christ was, and is, the perfect example of that kind of love–and you and I are the focus of that love! He longs for us to be reconciled to Him through His blood. He longs for us to talk with Him. He longs for us to read His Word, and He longs for the day we’ll be reunited in the clouds. Is it any wonder those who knew Jesus in the flesh were called the “ones who have loved His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8) (NKJV). They knew what it meant to be with Him, and they longed for His return. As His bride, we should also long for His return, like a betrothed Jewish woman longed for the day the groomsmen would appear to take her to her wedding feast. If we have a right relationship with Christ, our longing for Him should be ever so similar. Is your longing to be reunited with our Lord passionate, or have you lost interest? Have you replaced Him with worldly idols? Either way, today’s a new day and His mercies are new every morning! Why not call on Him right now?
“I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to Him.” 2 Corinthians 11:2b
In Christ,
PastorJimKilby @Kilbin8er
Jim@JamesKilby.com