Believe it or not, this is the last chapter of Joy Chickonoski's book, "Becoming Lovers: The Journey from Disciple of Christ to Bride of Christ". If this were like a journey vacation I'd liken it to a cruise where you sign up for every excursion. Steep cliffs, deep waters of snorkeling, choice morsels to draw from on the buffet, yet time to seep in the salty air and ponder all before you. And for me, I don't want it to end.
The real world loves to remind me of all I am not, or what I am in a bad way. So friends, let's send this book off in style by grasping all we are in Christ and live like it's the truth. We are brides. Let's learn more.
"The desire of the bride is to become a pure reflection of her love's affection."
We know God as the warrior, the judge, the Savior. We know His love is so fierce that sometimes we'll feel the heat of our free choice consequences. Do we know Him as our Bridegroom? Did you know we are to be joint heirs of the throne? Are you believing that you are in a mutual love relationship with God? Do you think of Him as your Heavenly husband?
Joy shares a humorous story about her honeymoon that I can still relate to after all these years. Her husband on her wedding night called her Mrs. Chickonoski and announced his romantic intentions towards her, their first physical union. As great as that first night was, the next morning Joy woke not wanting her husband to see her. She quietly tiptoed to the bathroom only for her beloved to switch the light on. She dropped to the floor and screamed. She wasn't ready to be that close.
It's a common reaction to God too. We don't want Him to see us unclothed. We know He's sovereign, so we'd rather stay with the "Well He knows it all anyway" and keep the relationship one way. It's time to bust out of that. He is the lover of our soul. You don't want to dive to the floor and scream when your spouse wants to love and help you, why do the same to God year after year?
For too long we've believed the lie from the devil that God is a mean task masker that is eternally disappointed in us. If we would just approach God in full I promise you God will be compassionate and loving. Any other voice is simply not His. Satan is the accuser and the liar and his job is to keep you as far from God as possible. No matter what you've done, thought, said, didn't do, should have done...God will NEVER give up on you nor will He ever suggest you give up on what the two of you share together.
We will never be perfect. We're going to goof up and make mistakes. We will not be perfect spouses or parents. The truth is, though, God can even take the wrong things we do and use them for His glory. Beating ourselves up is more damaging. Trust Him as your Bridgroom. What a perfect image to reflect on.
Sadly, the image is so simple we reject it. We know we are to strive to be holy and we fall short. "We will not serve a God we fear more than a God who captivates us by His love. Fear is an inferior motivator to love. If I'm convinced of God's love, I will serve Him out of passion, not obligation. Passion will purify me much quicker than obligation." page 144.
This is a line on page 145 I hope I cling to after reading from 1 John 3:1, 3. The line Joy writes: "When we become the bride, we must lay down the sword for the scepter."
Joy explains the scepter represents royalty and authority. We're royalty now, queens don't have to fight! We are joint heirs. For the longest time I burdened myself with the self given mission I was in a war against the enemy and had to slay the enemy in Jesus' name. This year has really transformed me and it was actually Joy that God used to get the reality through my head.
All God is asking of us is to rest (just like Chapter 11). The picture Joy painted was for me to sit on a couch with my feet on a table while the Lord goes to battle. At the end of the day my only job is to allow the Lord to return, put His head on my lap (what an intimate thought, but a sweet one) so He can tell me about His day. Anything evil I see these days is God just showing me---like terrorists in caves, evil does not want to be found. They work in secret and hiding. When they are exposed it's not scary, it's revealing. God is showing His hand.
There are times we are called to fight, but as you grow in intimacy with Him, you'll find yourself handling the scepter more than the sword. "The rest and authority of the bride is a reward to the warrior." It's going to feel weird at first, I know it has for me. Here is what changes will occur as you lay down the sword and pick up scepter:
1. We no longer carry burdens as though they are our own.
Our prayer life changes. Like the image Joy shared with me, we no longer plead our case at the throne. Our prayer life instead "becomes the comfort of the bride toward her Warrior bridegroom. Jesus is the victor. He will not lose His battle." Picture you resting on the couch with the Lord coming back to rest on your lap and tell you about His day.
Just as Song of Solomon, as that book progresses, so do we. In the beginning the emphasis in Song of Solomon is on our priorities. In Song of Solomon 6:3 we see she still has priorities, but Jesus comes first. By Song of Solomon 7:10, she reaches the final stage of the bride when she proclaims, "I belong to my lover and His desire is for me." She only desires what He does. To reach that stage of oneness means our burdens are His. To reach that stage means you take the journey from disciple to bride, producing purity and humility. No shortcuts, no easy road.
I do have male readers and picturing themselves as a bride might be hard. Instead, the friendship between David and Jonathan might be easier to picture. 1 Samuel 18: 1-3 says that "Jonathan's spirit was knit to David's and he loved him as himself." This was a genuine pure friendship. Joy writes on page 148, "The level of commitment between these two men on the battlefield is the same level of intimacy trust and unity that Jesus desires with all men."
Don't you love that the Bible is as applicable today as it was over two thousand years ago? You don't need Harlequin and Pirates of the Caribbean to place yourself in fantasy. Reality is in the Bible for all of us, women and men. Joy shares much more in this than I have time and space to do justice, so I really encourage you to purchase this book for yourself. And men, I know of a very macho looking guy who did just that and is learning a lot.
2. Your corporate worship becomes an expression of the bridegroom's passionate heart
We were created by God to have a heightened sensitivity to pleasure. The devil was worship leader in heaven before he wanted the worship of God all to himself. With that, he sure doesn't want you experiencing pleasure in worship. Again, worship produces oneness and unity whether just you and God or a corporate setting. I don't want to be afraid of this anymore. I can feel deep in my soul this passionate worshipper who so desperately wants to get out. Fear has ruled me too long.
3. As the bride we will develop a desire to share God's glory with others
For me, I don't strive for respect as much as I used to. I get more excited to see others receive promotion and blessings than to brag or covet it for myself. I'm someone who used to feel successful when my name or the organization I worked with had its name in the paper. To see it bolded meant even more to me. With writing taking a bigger part of my life it's funny that I struggle now when I receive an accolade of sorts because I truly enjoy seeing other names more than mine. The bride of Christ wants His recognition. That's what I want.
Again, there is so much Joy has here that I don't have the time and space to give. I'm going to jump to the conclusion and again ask that you run to your nearest Christian bookstore and get this book.
Here are some surprises Joy shares:
1. Growing in God means you see things have always seen with greater understanding and teach it with greater grace.
2. Growing in God's grace means you learn to say less so God can do more.
3. Growing in faith means you learn to lean on God without the fear of failure of man.
Although this book ends after 155+ pages, Joy's title is appropriate. This is a journey. I can see my own path has went forward in some ways and backward in another. It will take my lifetime to master it all, but I don't want to stay where I am. I've sent you this link before, and I implore you to go there again: this is who I am, who you are: Embrace it! You are His bride. Glory to His name.
This is you!!!http://www.elijahshopper.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=ART%2DCF003
To purchase this book online, http://www.getrealliving.com/resources.html There is another resource of Joy's on that page, so check it out.
Thanks for taking the journey. You make a beautiful bride!
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