March 29, 2003(19)
WAITING AND LONGING FOR THE TREE OF LIFE. There is an anticipation in the heart of every child of God which relates to that day when we shall see Jesus, face to face. That day, which is the day of the < MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB >. As a prospective bride begins to prepare herself long before the time appointed with great expectations in her heart, so the Bride of Christ, with great desire awaits that day. It is to be a time of exceeding great joy and gladness. There has never been an event that is equal to this. Her preparations have been extensive, and complete. She will satisfy every requirement stipulated in the Bridegrooms letter to her, the Word of God. She is that < RADIANT > (NIV) woman of Ephesians 5:27. She is that beautiful and blessed woman who has waited with such strong desire and hope for the dawning of that glorious day, the day of the marriage. Prov. 13:12 Too long her hope has been deferred. The cry and strong aspiration of her heart has been, That I may know Him. That I may be one, united with Him in all of His majesty and glory. Phil. 3:10 The end of that period of < deferred hope > is about to end. We are quickly approaching the time of His revelation to His church. The devotion and longing of His Bride is soon to be satisfied. When the deep longing of her soul and spirit is satisfied, it will become the tree of life. The union of Christ and His Bride will be the completion and the establishment of the eternal tree of life.
TRUE GODLY EMOTIONS OF THE BRIDE. Perhaps the strongest passion that she feels is her love for her Bridegroom. An emotion that far supersedes all human and natural sensibilities. The love of Christ is one of a kind. Our response to Him must of the same intense caliber. The measure of the love of His beloved in her profound and absolute love for Him, is expressed in the words found in Song 5:8. I AM SICK FOR LOVE. Springing from deep within the spirit nature is that compassionate cry to be with Him. To bask in the glow of His presence and to declare her overwhelming love for Him. How well she is to know, that a desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul. The Lord will more than satisfy the longing of her being for Him. Prov 13:19 Another beautiful poetic expression of the fervency of that love is found in the words of the Psalmist. He compares his longing to be in the presence of the Lord to the hart panting and braying after the brooks of water. Psalm 42:1-2 We may be certain that those who find their place in the Bride in the end of the age are a people who have had a great appetite and strong desires to know the Lord in a most intimate fashion. The last days will be days of tremendous extremities. Both in the works of unrighteousness and the accomplishments of the righteous. Humanity will be strongly committed to that which is right and good or sold out fully to that which is evil. They are to be days of serious extremities. We will all find ourselves on one side or the other. Very definite choices will be made, by all.