The Ultimate Bride & Groom

This was my latest published article in the "Palm Leaves" Magazine (Easter Edition).

Have a quick read just to grasp the “Ultimate Love Story”

There are two souls. He’s been waiting for her, and she for him. Their love for each other is so holy and pure. He longed for her so deeply and so passionately - he went after her. There is no other way for him to abide with her unless he laid it all down. And that’s what he did – he gave his life for her. Love so strong doesn’t end there. She needs to be in glory with him, so she patiently waits. The days are dark and lonely; the nights are full of pain and suffering. Other men eye her, they want her to fall apart but she clings onto the hope of being with him. She continues to keep herself so holy; as a true bride waits for her groom. Those in awe of her love, wail with her for it to all come to pass. But her vision is clear; her eyes are fixed – on her love and her life. And finally the day comes. He has come to take his bride. Darkness now ends and the light shines. The wedding is glorious. He and she are now united for eternity.

This little but moving love story is not as dramatic as Romeo & Juliet but is in a league of its own for me. I’ve written it in simple vocabulary, drawn out of the inspiration of an ancient hymn. Before I go any further, something you already probably guessed is that the The Groom in the above scenario is Christ and The Bride – The Church.

Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. (Revelation 19:7)

I was moved by the “Passion” of how Samuel John Stone wrote this amazing hymn - “The Church’s One Foundation. We sang this 1860’s hymn in church the other week and my heart was blown away. It was written at a time when there was much conflict in the Anglican Church. Criticism of the Bible led to divisions among the church. All these controversial challenges stirred Samuel Stone to write this beautiful hymn. Stone was a great poet back in the day and also played a huge role in spreading Christian Education. Decades after this song was written, it’s touched my heart through a rather different point of view. I’ve pictured it as an enchanting love story and can be divided into three stages; 1. The Sacrifice, 2. The Wait, 3. The Marriage. The most painful of the three would be the second stage, which is what I’m going to throw some light on.

The Wait

I’m sure you’d have presumed an idea of where we were on the first stage. God is in love. After all, God is love. He loves his people on earth – The Church. But God is too holy and man is full of sin. There is no way he can be united with sinful people. So he decides to wash them clean, by coming to earth as man and die upon the cross for all and rising on that glorious morn for the ultimate redemption of sin. So, this great transaction was done. The people, by salvation of Christ have been redeemed. The people are now in communion with God through his son’s blood on the cross. There was no greater price paid for such love; the love of a Groom. The price of this love could be paid only by blood; the Groom’s own blood.

The era after the sacrifice & resurrection of The Saviour brought about a new awakening. This is when the “Wait” period started and is what we are still living in today. People were moved and shattered; they were desperate for this Holy Groom. They started calling out to him earnestly. They sought repentance, found forgiveness of their sins and their lives were filled with the Holy Spirit. Soon, the Church was being formed on a solid foundation – Faith in Jesus Christ. The Great Apostle Paul and other missionaries of his time soon faced the persecution of what Stone describes in the 2nd-4th stanza. They started the process of reaching out to nations to build the glorious Bride of a Church. And as time went on during and after Paul’s journeys, we read about the Church being persecuted left, right and centre. And all this turmoil lives on till today. It never ended. The Church is at its peak with violence. There are still so many unreached people groups. Certain nations have banned Christianity. Lives are slaughtered everyday keeping in line with the vision. And how could we forget Satan. He has his eyes on the Church, he attacks these missionaries in ways unknown. Just so to delay the meeting of the Bride with her Groom. So, we along with the saints of yester years gone by cry – “How long?” We have come to a part in history that is just being repeated decade after decade, century after century – just in different time slots. It’s no different to what missionaries faced back then when there are many even today laying it all down for Christ. The wait is painful and dark.

Now, back to the love story – do you feel the pain of the Bride? We, the Church is longing for our Groom. It hurts because this is the heart of our Groom. He too longs to be united with his Bride. But we have to wait. The only way to end this lingering turmoil is to spread the word and be in constant communion with our Groom. We need an elect from every nation, all people need to know of this love.

We are living in a world built on lies, slander and evil. What we want to stand on is the Foundation of Christ instead. With calamities, floods, tsunamis, earthquakes and revolts – they say the time is near. But none of us really know “How long”. We just need to stay focused on our path to finishing the task assigned to us and find our way to see that glorious wedding. Till then, we will cry “How long?”

I recommend you to listen to the beautiful lyrics in two songs focused on the same goal by two very different but blessed songwriters:

1. The Church’s one Foundation – Written by Samuel J Stone in 1866

2. How Long – Written by Jason Wade (Lifehouse) in 2001

Note the ages gone by in which both songs are written but yet inclined to the same hope and same message – the WAIT for the world where peace will prevail and the Church will be the bride of our Lord.

May you all have a Blessed Easter!

Love in His Risen Name,

Gino!

Ps: Below are the lyrics if needed

The Churches one foundation - http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh545.sht

How Long - http://www.metrolyrics.com/how-long-lyrics-lifehouse.html