Hey everyone! It's been a while! Sometimes, life can get in the way of some things, but here I am. I wish I was writing under better circumstances, but a friend of mine lost his wife last night to cancer. Prayers for him and his two teenage boys are appreciated, but his love and faithfulness during this time has reminded me of the best love story I've ever heard. I know this is a little different than my normal post, but I would like to tell that story. Hopefully it will bring some joy and hope along with it.
Once upon a time (because all good stories should begin with "once upon a time"), there was a man. For all intents and purposes, there wasn't necessarily anything extraordinary about him, at least not that those around him could see. He lived with a lowly and poor family, skilled trade workers to be exact, and for most of his early life, he lived a fairly normal existence. He had friends, brothers and sisters, learned, worked, slept, ate; you know, not so different than you and I. But he was remarkably humble. The kind of humility you and I only dream to achieve.
As he grew older, this humility led to a life of philanthropy. He knew that serving others really was his calling. It certainly didn't go unnoticed. As people gathered, many began to think like him and work toward the same goals. After a while, he noticed he had fallen in love. This woman, she was his destiny. She would follow him anywhere, and although she didn't always understand, she began to love him enough that she simply trusted him. She chose him, and they began to develop the kind of love that you and I dream of. The perfect intimate romance, of chivalry, compassion, and contentment. She wasn't perfect, but he loved her unconditionally.
Eventually, that intimate relationship led to an engagement. She was, after all, his destiny. He told her he was actually a king. She laughed a little. What a fun metaphor. He was the king of her heart, and she really enjoyed the thought, but to look at him, although it spoke a lot of things, never said king. He was lowly and poor, even more so than where he was from. A life of service to others barely fed him and his friends, let alone provide the riches of a kingdom. But despite her lack of belief, he loved her unconditionally.
Now the traditions of the time were difficult on a relationship. After the engagement, he left her for a season. The custom was for the groom to go back home and prepare a place for his bride to come home to after the wedding. When the place was ready, often by his father's standards, he would go back and get her, they would get married in a huge seven day celebration, and they would live happily ever after, well, at least as happily as possible. For a lowly and poor man, this place was most commonly a room or addition to the family home, and even with skilled trade work experience, would take months or even years to complete. That might not seem too difficult to you, but unlike today, there were no cell phones, or even phones at all, and without cars, back and forth travel was hard and strenuous, so the best communication for such a situation was letter writing.
He wrote her many letters. He told of his love and devotion, his unwavering faithfulness, and of all his busy work preparing their kingdom for her arrival. He provided husbandly instruction to make her life as painless as possible while he was away. He even sent someone to help her, to provide counsel and direction and always remind her of his love. All the while, he couldn't wait until he could go back and get her and they could finally become one. She was, after all, his destiny.
The waiting was difficult and she was not perfect. Her faithfulness, well, let's just say it was a bit less unwavering. She would experiment from time to time, and often chose more fun things in life than focusing on the relationship with her love. She would ignore the helper, and sometimes, for short periods, she would even forget about her betrothed. She faced hardships and discomforts, but in the midst, it was always his letters and his love that pulled her through. Despite all her mischief and debauchery, he loved her unconditionally. She was, after all, his destiny.
Finally, after what seemed like a few millennia, his father decided that the place was finally ready for her, and his son went back to get his bride. Even though she knew what to look forward to because of his letters, she didn't know when he was coming. When he arrived, she gazed upon his face, a bit surprised, and stood in amazement. He really was a king, and he brought a host of servants blowing trumpets to fetch the love of his life. Everyone around looked on in disbelief, unable to even speak, as he grabbed her up, and swept her away. Once home, they celebrated in glorious fashion. An epic wedding for the ages, as the king had finally brought home his bride. Her past was in her past, and he loved her unconditionally. She was, after all, his destiny.
Jesus is that man, and we, the Church, are his bride. It's not too late to realize that His love in unconditional. We all have been unfaithful and wavered in this life, but we are His destiny. He came for us despite our shortcomings. By choosing Him, we become a part of the bride he will one day come back for. No questions, no condemnation, just the way we are. He loves us now, not when we are better suited. He died to pay for all we've done and will do. Now He prepares a place for us in His Father's house. Choose Jesus, because he has already chosen us, and become a part of the greatest love story ever told.
Once upon a time (because all good stories should begin with "once upon a time"), there was a man. For all intents and purposes, there wasn't necessarily anything extraordinary about him, at least not that those around him could see. He lived with a lowly and poor family, skilled trade workers to be exact, and for most of his early life, he lived a fairly normal existence. He had friends, brothers and sisters, learned, worked, slept, ate; you know, not so different than you and I. But he was remarkably humble. The kind of humility you and I only dream to achieve.
As he grew older, this humility led to a life of philanthropy. He knew that serving others really was his calling. It certainly didn't go unnoticed. As people gathered, many began to think like him and work toward the same goals. After a while, he noticed he had fallen in love. This woman, she was his destiny. She would follow him anywhere, and although she didn't always understand, she began to love him enough that she simply trusted him. She chose him, and they began to develop the kind of love that you and I dream of. The perfect intimate romance, of chivalry, compassion, and contentment. She wasn't perfect, but he loved her unconditionally.
Eventually, that intimate relationship led to an engagement. She was, after all, his destiny. He told her he was actually a king. She laughed a little. What a fun metaphor. He was the king of her heart, and she really enjoyed the thought, but to look at him, although it spoke a lot of things, never said king. He was lowly and poor, even more so than where he was from. A life of service to others barely fed him and his friends, let alone provide the riches of a kingdom. But despite her lack of belief, he loved her unconditionally.
Now the traditions of the time were difficult on a relationship. After the engagement, he left her for a season. The custom was for the groom to go back home and prepare a place for his bride to come home to after the wedding. When the place was ready, often by his father's standards, he would go back and get her, they would get married in a huge seven day celebration, and they would live happily ever after, well, at least as happily as possible. For a lowly and poor man, this place was most commonly a room or addition to the family home, and even with skilled trade work experience, would take months or even years to complete. That might not seem too difficult to you, but unlike today, there were no cell phones, or even phones at all, and without cars, back and forth travel was hard and strenuous, so the best communication for such a situation was letter writing.
He wrote her many letters. He told of his love and devotion, his unwavering faithfulness, and of all his busy work preparing their kingdom for her arrival. He provided husbandly instruction to make her life as painless as possible while he was away. He even sent someone to help her, to provide counsel and direction and always remind her of his love. All the while, he couldn't wait until he could go back and get her and they could finally become one. She was, after all, his destiny.
The waiting was difficult and she was not perfect. Her faithfulness, well, let's just say it was a bit less unwavering. She would experiment from time to time, and often chose more fun things in life than focusing on the relationship with her love. She would ignore the helper, and sometimes, for short periods, she would even forget about her betrothed. She faced hardships and discomforts, but in the midst, it was always his letters and his love that pulled her through. Despite all her mischief and debauchery, he loved her unconditionally. She was, after all, his destiny.
Finally, after what seemed like a few millennia, his father decided that the place was finally ready for her, and his son went back to get his bride. Even though she knew what to look forward to because of his letters, she didn't know when he was coming. When he arrived, she gazed upon his face, a bit surprised, and stood in amazement. He really was a king, and he brought a host of servants blowing trumpets to fetch the love of his life. Everyone around looked on in disbelief, unable to even speak, as he grabbed her up, and swept her away. Once home, they celebrated in glorious fashion. An epic wedding for the ages, as the king had finally brought home his bride. Her past was in her past, and he loved her unconditionally. She was, after all, his destiny.
Jesus is that man, and we, the Church, are his bride. It's not too late to realize that His love in unconditional. We all have been unfaithful and wavered in this life, but we are His destiny. He came for us despite our shortcomings. By choosing Him, we become a part of the bride he will one day come back for. No questions, no condemnation, just the way we are. He loves us now, not when we are better suited. He died to pay for all we've done and will do. Now He prepares a place for us in His Father's house. Choose Jesus, because he has already chosen us, and become a part of the greatest love story ever told.
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