Bibledoorajar Positions Itself For The Arrival of the Bride

     Twenty years ago, I attended my nephew's wedding in Charleston, South Carolina. I knew little about the bride to be, but I had been prepared ahead of time that she and her attendants would arrive at the cathedral in horse drawn carriages. So, I stood outside with many others to see the arrival. Someone yelled, "Here comes the bride!" From out of the city of Charleston, the wedding party arrived in flower bedecked carriages and entered into the more holy place. I remember thinking that expense had not been spared to make the occasion of the bride's arrival more memorable.

     And, so it was for our country girl. She was carried out of the wilderness to Jerusalem, the city of God, on the king's bedecked litter. He had spared no expense to make the occasion memorable. Myrhh and frankincense bedecking the bride arose like pillars of sweet perfume and merchant's powder. Because the littler was that of the king, it was surrounded by 60 valiant men well prepared militarily against any attack. This is the greatest number of mighty men (loyal friends of the king) ever mentioned in the Bible. How safely and gloriously was the bride carried into the city of God. What a change had taken place for the bride. She had gone from being a "nobody" to being a "somebody" because of the king. She smelled so good!

     Sometimes it is hard to believe that the Father is perfuming us in the same way isn't it? But just read this:

"It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us

wisdom from God---that is our righteousness, holiness and 

redemption. Therefore, as it is written, 'Let him who boasts

boast in the Lord."  1 Cor.: 30-31

So Lord, we brag about how wonderfully you are perfuming us and preparing us for the great wedding feast in the city of God--the new Jerusalem. Only You know just how much myrhh and just how much frankincense we need in our lives in order to be ready for an eternal relationship. Therefore, we give You praise for all our times good and bad.

Bibledoorajar readies for the King to come for His bride

     Our country girl has had a lot of experiences with her lover, the king. Although she has not always been with him, her mind and heart have been stretched beyond wonder. She now finds herself reveling in this person she has come to love. But it is not silly happy love any longer. She has been transformed by her times of suffering and sorrow as well as her gladness. These experiences have brought her love to a new and higher level and we now find her exalting the one who has shared so much strength and ability with her. She tells others how great this love is, but warns it is better not to stir up this kind of love until one is ready to deal with the transforming power of it. This kind of love aims for real union.
Paul wanted to be sure that young Timothy understood the aim or goal of this kind of love. He writes 1 Tim.1:5:

"The GOAL of this command is love which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith."

Paul wanted Timothy to know that it is possible to walk away from faith if one has not really understood and grasped the transforming demands of Christ's love. They, not being ready for real union, settle for something much cheaper.

But, back to our story. The daughters of Jerusalem see something wonderful coming. It is the king coming for his bride! Could it be? Has the country girl matured enough to become consecrated in marriage to the king? It's going to happen. Tune in next week to see the king take his bride. Everything she has been through is going to be worth it! Lord, thank you for not giving up on us!

Bibledoorajar wants to share about her King too

     The country girl has found her love again and is holding him tight. She wants to take him to her mother's home and share him with her family. She had sought him in her private places but did not find him. So, she left and moved out to the public places on her seeking mission. How great was her effort. And, finally, when she did find him, her motivation was to share him with her family. Can't you imagine the joy that she wanted to share with them? Can you hear her saying, "there is no one like him?" She would have stories to share of how special he treated her and how he had helped her grow up. He had moved her from a certain restlessness to peace. He lighted up her life and gave her hope for her future. Can't you imagine how amazed her family would be to hear that a king loved the little country girl?
     Have you ever longed for the Lord so much that you leave your private place and go into public assemblies to find Him? Most of us do that every week when we participate with others who are also seeking more of Him. There, according to Galatians 4:26, we bring Christ to each other and stand united in Him. Some of us might go even farther afield hoping to find more of Him (such as in reading blogs like this) and we will allow someone to bring Christ to us in somewhat less traditional ways. And, when we find more of His essence, we want to share that with family and friends. Sometimes it is difficult to do that, not because we are embarrassed (well maybe a little), but often because we simply don't have the words to capture our feelings for Him. Why is it that we can go to church and sing "He is my everything, He is my all," but the same thought is hard to express with an individual outside the church building?
     Lord, help us to be more like the country girl who sought you both in her private places and in public places and wanted to show you off. You are great and greatly to be praised and worthy to be shared.

     Andrew was one of the first to follow Jesus.

"The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 

When he saw Jesus passing by, he said,

'Look, the Lamb of God!"  John 1:35

"Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who

heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The

first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon

and tell him, 'We have found the Messiah' (that is, the

Christ). And he took him to Jesus."  John 1: 40-42

Bibledoorajar says you just never know!

     The country girl now knows she belongs to the king but she is not necessarily where he is at all times. His presence is not always felt in her life and he is gone many nights. But, here is the wonderful part of her story. She ARISES to hunt for him. She makes special efforts to seek him out among others. Watchmen help her and point the way.  When she found him again, she reported "I held him and would not let him go."
     No longer can she just wonder where he is--she must ARISE and find him again. Aren't those days wonderful when we absolutely must ARISE and find Him again? And when we do, we wish we could hold Him and never let Him go! One day, in that great "gettin up morning", that will be the case and we will never have to arise and search for Him again. Hallelujah!

      After my great niece and I had our conversation about how the Holy Spirit gives songs to people like Holland Davis, she had such an experience. After lunch, she found me and told me she had a song from the Lord. Being so young, I did not know what to expect. But, I asked her to print it and date it so the family could have a copy of her first song. When she started printing, I knew a song had ARISEN in her heart. Here is her song:

Listen to the Lord

O, listen to the Lord

O, listen to the Lord

Listen to the One who's in your heart.

The Lord is so good, 

listen to the Lord!

If you listen to the Lord, you will go to heaven

If you listen to your parents you will live long!

O, listen to the Lord

O, listen to the Lord

Listen to the One who's in your heart!

Jessalyann, age 7

Jessalyann, I hope you will always follow your song and listen to the Lord, who's in your heart. ARISE and search for Him, for He says He can be found. Call upon Him and He will continue to give you songs in your heart. I love you, Aunt Becky.

Bibledoorajar observes the fervency of the lover of the country girl

     Yesterday, I sat beside my seven year old great niece during worship. I often try help her understand the meaning of the words that we are singing. Near the end of worship, the leader placed an overhead with the words of Holland Davis's song, "Let it rise" up for the congregation to sing. I was attempting to help my niece understand three points: 1) how great it is for believers to observe the glory of the Lord rise in our hearts, 2) so great is His glory, that we must let our praises rise in our mouths, and, 3) one way we often do that is through songs of praise. As I whispered brief explanations in her ear, she responded by saying, "Oh". Realizing she had captured some of the greatness of the words we were singing brought me great joy.

     Our country girl also sought words to describe the lover who had brought her out of the wilderness. In 2:6 of the Song she says:

                                 "My beloved is like a gazelle or young stag. Behold, there he
                                   stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows,
                                   looking through the lattice."

Standing, gazing and looking implies that he had such a love for the country girl that every effort was made to seek her out. He stood and gazed and looked at her. He called to her.

                                 "Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me. See!
                                  the winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on
                                  the earth, the season has come, the cooing of the doves is heard in
                                  the land. The fig tree forms the early fruit; the blossoming vines
                                  spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one,
                                  come with me."  Song 2: 10-13

Our king stands at our doors knocking. His love propels Him to seek us until we find Him. Now is the season to put our winter behind us and enjoy the season of fruitfulness and productivity. Will we "go away" with Him? Will we let His glory arise? Will we let our praise and our songs of love arise? Will we enjoy His fragrance and this our season of fruitfulness?