the end of the engagement...

Around most Christian colleges, there's a philosophy that a long engagement is a dangerous one. In addition to this, most Christian colleges have the thought that courtships over a month without a commitment for marriage is a dangerous one. Of course, that's for another post on another day. I do want to talk about engagements, though. Imagine being engaged, longing for the day when you will be one with the person you love. That day, the wedding day will begin a new phase in your life together. The end of the courtship and the beginning of a marriage. Most people I knew who've been engaged have longed for the end of the engagement when they can spend their lives together.

The church is in much the same situation today. We are the bride of Christ. We have been told in Scripture that one day our Bridegroom will come for us and whisk us away to His Kingdom for all eternity. That day, there will be a wedding like no other. We will be taken by our bridegroom, our vows being said, to the wedding feast of the lamb to celebrate life--the life that is ours in Christ.

On that day, we will see our Bridegroom face to face. We will look in His eyes and get lost in His gaze of perfect love and grace. We will be held in His strong embrace...and every care and pain and hurt from our lives will melt away in Him. The engagement is over and our life together begins.... Oh, how I long for the end of the engagement sometimes. I long to see our Jesus face to face and to embrace the One who has embraced me and so captivated my heart. On that day, we can touch the scars in His hands and bow down and worship Him, kissing the feet of our Savior and our Lord.

Before Him, we were in rags we thought were beautiful, formal attire. We were filthy and dirty and dead, yet we thought ourselves clean and vibrant and alive. When we met Him, He loved us even when we were clueless who He was. He cleaned us off and gave us new clothes. He loved us, spilling His blood to redeem for Himself a bride--us. He loved us,even though we were His enemies. He loved us, even though it cost Him His life. He loved us....

Friends, I long for the day when we will see our Savior, King Jesus. We will hold His hands. We will embrace Him as a Lover and Lord. We will worship Him forever. We will exalt the One who has saved us despite ourselves. How I long for the end of the engagement...

until Christ is formed in us...

--mike