I have a friend who’s a baby Christian, barely a year old. After the initial joy of salvation and moving of God, they felt like He got quiet. It’s bothering them and was brought to my attention. Mulling it over, remembering the divide I felt awhile back, I wondered how I could help. Then it hit me.
There are many Biblical analogies describing our relationship with Jesus. Marriage is one of them. The bride is the church, which is all the believers. When the end comes, there’s going to be a marriage supper (Revelation 19:7-9). Here’s the analogy building on that.
The Courtship
C.S Lewis, I think, compared Jesus’s incarnation to a king falling in love with a beautiful girl who was a pauper in his kingdom. He desired her love, however, knew if he came to her in all his splendor, he would never know if the love was true or not. Did she love him as a person, or as the king?
He came to her as a pauper himself. Leaving the glory, splendor, wealth, and status, he lowered himself to her level so that she might come to his level. He would know if she loved him for who he is as a person then, rather than the benefits of king.
To begrudgingly quote Kanye West, “He didn’t want a gold digger.”
He could order her to love him, but it wouldn’t be a true love.
The Engagement
When we’re saved, we could think of that as our being engaged, to continue the analogy. Where instead of a blinging ring, we get the Holy Spirit, who’s much better.
Who’s been engaged?
There’s usually an emotional high that follows, right? My wife cried, and hit me, while I grinned like a fool. We told everyone over the next few days. Much like baptism is a public profession of following Jesus.
The high didn’t stay, especially during the stress of wedding planning. Every relationship has an ebb and flow. We aren’t crazy in love, forever talking, all the time. We’ll burn out. A deeper love and joy develops then. The highs will come, and you love them, but the love gets deeper, too.
We stand on the consistency of the person we’re engaged to. We continue to develop the relationship, learning about each other. It’s a process that will continue through our time on Earth. There will be great times, and not so great, but that person will still be there.
Engaged to Jesus?
It’s like that with Jesus, but better. He doesn’t change, isn’t temperamental, and will help you grow as a person, like a good spouse helps the other grow. You don’t remain the same after marriage. You’re You+.
It may seem quiet at times, but he’s there, and ready to listen. We couldn’t handle the high parts all the time without burning out. I love Connect with God nights at church, worshipping for hours. My throat doesn’t though.
Look around, see the seemingly small things in your life. Coincidences. Creation and all its complexity. Think, the King of Kings did that for you and is going to bring you to Him.
Wow.
A Ronin's Journey 