a story that is unto Him.
Jesus, what do You want to communicate to those who will read this?
“I am their Bridegroom,” Jesus replied.
What beauty. What implication. What life-altering reality. What a King.
The experience of walking in intimate relationship with Jesus this way – as His bride, and receiving Him as my Bridegroom – has been and always will be the sweetest gift. Also, just a note: these descriptors, “Bride and Bridegroom”, have romantic connotations, obviously; and while the word romantic is a word I would use to describe a part of the nature of my relationship with Jesus, it is not a sappy, girl-ish thing. Keep in mind as you hear those words that it is a Biblical model for His passionate pursuit of us and His love for the church. It is stunning!
Last summer, I had the privilege of going on a mission trip to Guatemala with 13 other amazing people, none of whom I had met before the trip. Knowing each of them was and has continued to be one of the greatest joys. The experience I had in Guatemala was life-changing for many reasons, and what it launched me into afterward has been an ongoing encounter of God’s rich kindness to me (more on that later). Every night during the trip, the group gathered for team time. This was a time where we would pray & worship, debrief from the day’s experiences, encourage one another, and talk through the next day’s events. Team time as a whole was one of my favorite parts of the trip because it stitched us together and formed family among us. One particular evening during team time, I remember asking the Father to show Himself to me as my true Father. I wanted to know Him more deeply, and I longed to continue stepping into my identity as His daughter. During our time of worship, I saw a picture of the Father walking me down the aisle to meet my groom. It was Jesus standing at the altar… the Bridegroom King. This image moved me. As I saw it unfold, the love of God was touching many areas in my heart. The Father is walking me to His Son, a Love that will be faithful forever. Jesus is the One who holds my heart eternally. He is to whom I submit myself and follow for all my days. Covenant. He has called me His own. He has fought for my heart to be free & loved. I am precious to Him and He has chosen me (Isaiah 43:4). I was made aware in that moment that I am worthy, fought for, cherished, chosen, and pursued by a Love that I could never manufacture. Better than I think.
The reason I shared the picture of walking down the aisle to meet Jesus was because of what I believe it unlocked in me, and what I believe is in the hearts of many. I noticed that what I was seeing between me and Jesus in this image is something I long for in this life as well: being fought for, pursued, and to be called precious, cherished & adored. As I received the love of Jesus deeply, I yielded my heart to Him wholly. Because He called me “Beloved”, I knew my heart was His and could therefore be trusted to be held by the Author of my life as I journeyed with Him in desire.
After I got home from Guatemala, I had a lot of processing to do with the Lord. So much happened in my heart; He moved in power among our team and the people of Guatemala, and I was unraveled in the best way. I knew I was stepping into a journey with Him after the trip of refinement and deep surrender. Because I knew I was His beloved, I knew I could trust Him as my Perfect Shepherd as He guided me into more freedom and intimacy with Him.
Jesus showed me that having such a desire is not shameful, but beautiful. He showed me that deep, abiding intimacy with Him meant His desires become mine. He showed me that He has a story for me written with heaven’s pen. Signed by the Father, kissed by Jesus, sealed by the Holy Spirit. He showed me that the posture of my heart in Guatemala was trustworthy soil for all that He planted there. I prayed for His story. During the summer and into the 9-month discipleship school experience I had in Waco this year, I have walked hand in hand with Jesus through what it looks like to be passionately in love with Him and give the desire to be chosen & cherished by another to Him. I know that He holds that with such tenderness. It is about giving my whole heart to Him and watching Him refine every space that doesn’t look like Him! Goodness, I am thankful for that.
One of my friends wrote an article a couple years ago and sent it to me in more recent months, and I want to type out something she included in her writing that I find powerful & encouraging:
“I’ve held to His promise, learning to live a life completely free of compromise. I’ve fought and I’ve rested. I’ve been formed and intimately held. I’ve learned the intoxicating intimacy of a life spent face to face with Jesus, an intimacy I pray I never lose. I’ve prayed courage into the heart of the man filled with love and conviction enough to walk through the surely refining process of the veil that gloriously surrounds me. I’ve found the best stories demand a brave yes to the narrow, refining process of choosing Jesus. And I love that, because it’s romance and forms the set apart son.” -Kristie Dunnigan
Women, this is what we are worthy of! Set your heart free to dream with the Lord, and in that space, let Him be to you who He truly is: your Bridegroom King! He is your Builder, He rejoices over you, and He seeks after you (Isaiah 62:5). It is intimacy with Him that holds us secure. We are tethered to His heart, and He is every longing fulfilled. I rejoice in the way He has shepherded (and still is shepherding) my process with Him surrounding my heart and the dreams He has placed within it to love & be loved, know & be known, choose & be chosen. It is beautiful and He is honored. In the process, He has spoken identity, He has breathed patience, and He has given assurance and confidence. The joy in the ongoing process has not been in an “end goal”, but faith that has been built, trust that has been cultivated, and Love that has captured me again and again. I believe in the story He is writing for me, and I ABSOLUTELY believe in the story He is writing for you, but here is my anchored hope: Him. The story He writes will be a story that is unto Him. It will be one that tastes like the fruit of remaining in Him. It will be one that leads us right into His heart over and over, because this story is His heartbeat. Ah! What beauty, kindness, and generosity.
He writes the best stories, if we will hand Him the pen. I have resolved to let Him hold my heart while He authors beauty, life, and love on the pages. As a friend once encouraged me, “He is writing a beautiful story, and the title is GOD IS GOOD!” Amennnnn. Dancing in that goodness for all my days. What a trustworthy One… may we never stop loving Him for who He IS and not just what He gives. He is altogether beautiful.
Praying for you all!
Lindsey
