And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
-Revelation 21:2
She stands on the church stage with the other members of the worship team, singing the chorus to a Chris Tomlin song in her clear soprano.
Like a bride waiting for her groom, we’ll be a church ready for you.
At the words, she glows.
In four weeks, she will be a bride. In September, Jenna will walk down the aisle to join her groom and pledge her life to him in the presence of God.
I plan on crying that day. And celebrating.
Jenna will soon be my daughter-in-law, and already I can’t imagine our world without her. She and Dan have waited a long time to find one another, and it is a union for which many prayers have been lifted to God. The joy they have in each other is a beautiful thing to behold.
A whirlwind of activity surrounds the couple as they prepare for their upcoming marriage. They are sending out invitations and planning the celebration. They are sorting through two separate households to decide what to incorporate into one. They are casting off the stuff of their old lives and planning for a new life together.
Not much else matters for them right now, as it should be.
And as it should be for us, the Church.
Jesus is coming back, you know.
Whether it is now or in a hundred years, His Church is called to be ready. Are you preparing for His coming? Have you gotten rid of the stuff of the old life? Have you sent out the invitation to others?
It may be hard to fathom, but not much else really matters. Part of the purpose of our existence on this side of eternity is to prepare us to live forever with the Lord. The things we learn here and the things we do in His name aren’t lost when we cross the veil. The wisdom and discernment and the relationships we have forged will go with us into our new life. The people who respond to our invitation will join us in the celebration.
The day is coming. Without warning, He will call our name and we will be united with Him. I long for that day. I long to see His face.
Until then, we prepare. And wait.
He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
– Revelation 22:20
