"I remember how eager you were to please me
as a young bride long ago,
how you loved me and followed me
even through the barren wilderness."

Jeremiah 2:2

http://www.onmission.com/atf/cf/%7B6767E79D-6E1B-4602-98D7-FFF47EE72523%7D/the_bride_of_christ.jpg

I've been working on a retreat that is coming up where the theme is "He Chose Me" and the lessons all revolve around the church being "The Bride of Christ." So, I was simply amazed to read this verse in my quiet time yesterday. I had never read it before.

Wow!

The verse brought back many memories of my early days of marriage...the fun of getting a pop at a gas station and then heading to the park to play tennis, the fun of taking walks, the fun of cutting down our very first Christmas tree on a farm of someone from the church where Tim had a weekend ministry...

And it made me realize how different life has become as we have entered some deep times of "barren wilderness." I think my eagerness to be a pleasing bride has faded through the years in many ways. I'm just being honest. I need to work on this area of my life a lot!

But even more than that, I wonder how my relationship with my Eternal Groom has changed through my barren wilderness days. Am I still longing to meet Him at the door? Is my dress as white and spotless as I once longed for it to be? Am I always watching and waiting....hoping His return is soon????

From my perspective, marriage proves to be challenging in my house as well as everywhere I look around me....and I think it is very symbolic of the church's struggle to stay committed to Christ and His teaching.

Tim and I are heading to a marriage retreat for the weekend for couples who have lost a child. I think it will be so good for us to get away and spend some time with other couples who are grieving.

It makes me realize, though, that I may need some time away with my other Groom......some time to simply remember the "eagerness" of my early days as a Christian. The days before my "barren wilderness."

Thankful that God paints pictures that are so real! As I have faced tough times and watched other friends face them too, I realize more and more every day that in the end all that will matter is how prepared we are for the return of our Eternal Groom!

Attempting to live a life "dressed in white" while waiting eagerly at my door for His return!