The Space Between Is Wearing Thin
Hey friends! I want to share some things that have been on my heart. In fact, there’s so much welling up within me I’m not even sure where to begin. But I pray God gives me the words that offer hope and comfort and most clearly reflect HIS heart.
It seems every single piece of correspondence I’ve received for months now starts out with something about “these unprecedented times”. None of us would deny the truth in that. It’s no big revelation to say we’re living through some strange times. And in our imperfect humanity we each react differently to the uncertainty. Some of us withdraw. Some fight back. Some live in denial. Some grow ever more intent upon not letting these things affect their life plans while others fall prey to depression, anxiety and isolation.
But underneath it all - on some level - I think we’re all asking what is happening? Will things ever be normal again?
What if the answer to that is no? And what if that’s a good thing?
The week the stay home orders began in March, we were in Colorado for a family wedding. The world was already starting to feel like it was going a little crazy but in the middle of the crazy we had this moment of beautiful serenity. On my son’s wedding day I sat on the porch of our mountain Airbnb and looked out across the landscape of fresh-fallen snow. My (about to be) daughter-in-law was in the master suite, relaxing and pampering and becoming absolutely stunning in preparation for her wedding. I could hear my son-in-law practicing worship songs for the ceremony in the room below.
I was praying. Asking God that very question. What is happening? Are we going to be ok? And in that moment I believe He answered. I’m not saying He spoke to me out loud and I’m not claiming to understand everything by any means, but in my spirit this is what I sensed He was saying:
I will use this to purify my bride. I am preparing her for my coming, for the greatest marriage celebration ever imagined. This wedding that’s about to take place here in the snowy mountains … this is a picture of what I’m doing. A picture of my spotless, purified bride, sins washed white as snow, vowing her covenant love and devotion to me for eternity. Soak it in. Feel my joy, my pleasure, my delight. This is my heart’s desire.
Along the way she is beaten and bruised and questioned “How is your beloved better than others?” Why do you keep waiting for him?
So I’ve held tightly to this visual for the past six months. It gives me some clarity and hope when the darkness seems to be escalating at a rapidly accelerating pace.
This morning I was drawn to the Song of Songs. This is one of those books of the Bible that’s often overlooked, or at best used as a teaching tool for healthy sexuality in marriage. But I’m beginning to see it in a new light. What if this is more prophetic than we realized? What if this is another picture of something much larger in scope? What if the meat of the gospel is right here, embedded in this story of passionate, all-consuming, undying love?
Reading through it this morning, I see a bride-to-be preparing for her wedding, a groom who adores her, inviting her to come away with him. He’s knocking on her door. She hesitates, and then he is gone. She searches intently for him. Along the way she is beaten and bruised and questioned “How is your beloved better than others?” Why do you keep waiting for him?
She explains why she could never love another. There’s no one like him! Then I see a wedding procession like no other. The Passion Translation paints a picture undeniably akin to Revelation 19 when Jesus comes in all his glory to gather his bride for the wedding supper of the Lamb.
These words from a Hillsong worship melody play over and over in my mind .. I can hear the roar in the heavens as the space between wears thin. I think that veil between heaven and earth is getting thinner. I think all these things going on in the world around us - pandemic, economic uncertainty, fighting in the streets, persecution of believers around the world, natural disasters, the divided state of our nation - this is our wake-up call. It’s the warm-up music just before the ceremony begins.
As Christ-followers, this is not a time to cower in fear. This is a time to shine brightly in the darkness, to show the world what hope looks like, to be radiant as a bride. This is who we are. It’s what we were made for. All of heaven is cheering us on.
♥Jana