"Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful,we must carry it with us or find it not."
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
The Necessity of Beauty,
Part Two
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
~ Ephesians 5:25-27 (NKJV)
Today is an interlude between a look at Psalms and returning to the New Testament.
My rotation has been to follow Psalms with a Gospel. But since I've now blogged on all four Gospels, I thought I'd look at Jesus through the book titled "The Revelation of Jesus Christ."
The last book of the Bible is seen primarily as a prophecy of end times. My intent is to look less at the plans and promises of the Lord for His second coming, but at His Person. Every book of the Bible reveals the Lord Jesus. How much more so the book with such a title?
The Lord's second coming is not only to receive a throne, but to receive a bride.
For the ancient Israelite wedding, the bridegroom made all the preparations for both the couple's home and the wedding feast. The bride gave her full attention to preparing only herself. She did all within her means to make herself beautiful for her husband. He might even give her garments as betrothal gifts, perhaps as an indication of his preferences.
In looking at the Lord Jesus Himself, might we also discover what He looks for in His bride—His preferences? What might garments of righteousness which He gives to us look like?
Last Monday's Necessity of Beauty was a look at Christ's church as His witness to the world. We'll look again at the necessity of beauty, not for the world's sake, but in anticipation of pleasing our Beloved Bridegroom.
Since tomorrow's post will be on the topic of Lust for the Blog Carnival, I'll plan to open the book of Revelation on Wednesday.
Lord Jesus Christ, You are King of kings, Lord of lords, and most especially our Beloved Bridegroom. Please give Your Holy Spirit as our valet, to open our eyes to what most pleases You, that we might make ready for Your coming.
Contrasting points-of-view, questions and feedback are invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2010, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
#Biblestudy
Photo from eternal-wedding-design.com
Though I want to be perfect, I keep staining myself with sin. I'm working on it.
ReplyDeletePraying for you sis, love you so much.
ReplyDeleteDear Anne, I look forward to it! I know your approach will lend new understanding to Revelation, a book I just read a few months ago.
ReplyDeleteAlso--that picture above is breathtaking.
God bless you today!
I enjoy thinking about what God prefers. Surrender would be a top ten. In church yesterday our pastor mentioned the 7 (I think 7) things God detests. That also gives me a strong picture of what to ask Him to dump out of me. Haughty eyes was first. Pride. It sneaks in. It's so slippery. Just floppin' my thoughts on here.
ReplyDeleteInterested to read what you'll draft up for lust.
~ Wendy
I have often wondered about the expression, "Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder:
ReplyDeleteWhat would it be like for me to have His vision regarding others?
David R.
Red Letter Believers blog
http://www.redletterbelievers.com
"Salt and Light"
"The bride gave her full attention to preparing only herself."
ReplyDeleteAnd far too often, I'm busy trying to impress someone on the sidelines, that I've lost sight of the One for Whom I'm to prepare myself.
Thank you, Anne, for an inspiring post, and an intriguing kick-off to your posts to come.
T. Anne, do not think of it as stain. The blood has washed all that away. "He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean ..." (John 13:10) We simply need to come before the Lord each time we become aware of being outside His will and allow His continued cleansing.
ReplyDeleteDenise, I'm still praying for you, and for Eddie.
Gwen, I'm likewise looking forward to the challenge.
Wendy, I saw this quote on Twitter: "Swallow your pride, it's not poison." I'd rather look at it this way: "Your pride is only poison until you swallow it."
David, that thought is much of what lies behind the post I did titled "Real Love." I often ask the Lord to see a person I struggle with through His eyes.
Jennifer, I understand what it is to notice the attention of others rather than His. I suspect the more our eyes are on Him, the more we have eyes only for Him.