Coming

This past weekend I was at a women's retreat and my good friend Conni Hudson was the speaker. It was such a great weekend away. The topic was the Eternal Bridegroom. Conni talked about Jesus all weekend from the perspective of Jesus as our Bridegroom. It was so good and has helped me to look at my relationship with Jesus in a new way that I really believe will deepen my relationship with Him. I had always looked at Jesus as the Bridegroom for the church, which of course He is but I had never really thought about Jesus as my Bridegroom. I know that may seem silly that I hadn't thought of Him that way but I am so thankful for this new dimension to my relationship with Him. While I was up at the retreat and all of this was fresh in my heart I wrote something I would like to share.

I want to tell you a story
A love story
Now I know
That may be a surprise to you
I’m not normally drawn
To love stories
But this one
So captured my heart
I feel compelled
To share it with you

It starts
As most love stories do
With a young girl
Happy, innocent, kind of starry eyed
Her life wasn’t perfect
There had been bumps in the road
But life still seemed
Like a great adventure
And she was ready
To take it all in
Her grandmother
Who loved her with all her heart
Always wanted the best for her
And had met someone
The young girl just had to meet
If she could have arranged the engagement
She would have
But the choice had to be
The young girl’s
But the grandmother made sure
Any chance she had
To tell the young girl
About this Man
She took
She told of His love for others
How kind and gentle He was
How strong His character was
When others
Were talking about this Man
The grandmother would take her
To hear all about Him
In hopes
The young girl
Might fall in love with Him
And choose Him

The young girl was amazed
At the stories
About His love for her
And shocked at the lengths
He went to
To demonstrate His love
For her
The grandmother was right
She couldn’t resist
The love she saw in Him
And the young girl
Accepted His proposal
To be His bride

He had to go away
To prepare a place for her
So she could be with Him
Forever
It was hard to be apart
But He left love letters
For her to read
So she would always know
How much He loved her
They talked often
And she read His letters
Over and over

But as time past
And the young girl grew older
The fire of that young love
Began to grow cold
She tried hard to be true
She longed for Him
To return
But He continued to tarry
And she began
To look to other things
And other people
To fill her heart with love
It happened slowly
At first
But eventually
She turned her back on Him
She walked away
From her first Love
She betrayed Him
She loved herself
More than Him
Even after all He had done
She loved another

He never left her
Though she ran from Him
He still protected her
Though she put herself in harm's way
He still loved her
Though she ran to other lovers
He couldn’t force her
To return to Him
So He waited
And watched for her
Day after day
But her heart
Had grown so hard

But one day
He spoke to her
Through a special friend
And the ice
That had covered her heart
Began to melt away
The fire of that first love
Began to spark and grow
She was so ashamed
How could He possibly
Still love her
Still want her
After all this time
After all she had done
But He had been waiting
And watching
And when she
Turned her gaze to Him
He ran to her
Wrapped her in His love
And that love
That was just a little spark
Erupted into a blazing fire
She remembered His love letters
And began to read
With new eyes
And a new heart
And a pure love
She talked with Him daily
And their love just grew and grew
He reminded her
That He was coming for her
He loves her so very much
And He can’t wait
To be with her
But the time has not yet come
For Him to return for her
So for now
She waits
With eager anticipation
For her Bridegroom to come
And make her
His beloved bride

You might think this story
Is too good to be true
Who could love someone like that
But I tell you
Every word of it is true
For I am the girl
In love with Jesus
My Bridegroom
And one day soon
He will come
For His bride