Pearls and Glitter

 As we wrap up our Bride of Christ series, I’d love to do a short survey. When you hear “Bride” what’s the first thing you think of?

Wedding. Love. Young. Beautiful.

If you’re like many people, these are some of the things you associate with brides.

For me, my first thought is “white” and then my mind starts adding in glitter, flowers, and of course some tulle.

So that was fun. But do you get the idea? This is a momentous occasion that typically even the most rough-and-tumble get cleaned up nice for.

This is where we are at in our text. Please read Revelation 21.

We’re here finally. The dark times are over, all hard lessons learned. The last bit of polishing, smoothing and styling are done. The Bride is ready to present to her (literally) perfect Groom.

It’s been a long time coming.

Revelation 21:5-6 “And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life.” NLT

Here is fulfillment. Here is where His promises are fulfilled, and all the faith and blind trust (but not always blind right? Haven’t we seen evidence of Him at work?) comes to fruition and we can actually put our hands on the tantalizing…

Revelation 21:7 “All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings…” NLT

…and the vows are spoken!

Rev 21:7 “…and I will be their God, and they will be my children.” NLT

That’s vow He’s been saying all along. He loves you so much, Dear One.

The bride. Just have a look. This is beauty. True, lasting beauty. Her heart is pure, sweet genuine smile on her face, a smile driven from endless gratefulness for a gift she can never repay. This is it. And an angel presents her.

When the Bride is presented, she shines and sparkles. (I believe God loves glitter and sparkly just as much as our inner Princess does. Don’t you agree?)

And her Groom wipes every tear from her eye (Revelation 21:4) whispering, “I love you more than you will ever know. You were so worth it. I’m glad you’re here. You will never have any more pain or any tears ever again. You are Mine.”

Oh that will be heaven. And it will literally be Heaven.

Are you reading this beautiful account?
It is so beautiful. Read it slowly, and picture in your mind what your Prince has in store for you!

I encourage you to look at verse 19, and then do an image search for each of those precious stones mentioned. And we are those precious stones, yes? See the beauty! And in it, see and feel a bit of God’s heart. He loves you so so much!

One thing too, I’d like to discuss, is the pearl mentioned in verse 21.

Revelation 21:21a “The twelve gates were made of pearls—each gate from a single pearl!” NLT

The ‘pearly gates’ are more rightly called the Pearl Gates, for they are not ‘pearl-like’ but each of the twelve gates is an actual pearl.

Go with me for a moment – remember how a pearl is made? Would these large of pearls even be possible without our awesome God?

I love pearls for this reason – they truly are a beauty birthed from discomfort; the waxing beauty out of pain, and the longer the pain, the greater the beauty.

Perhaps why God chose pearl gates? Beauty from pain. Beauty received only at the time of restoration, when God cracks open the shell, and holds the pearl in His loving hand. And the gates are pearl.

Beauty from pain.

Walk through it, Dear One. Walk into His beautiful presence as the pure, beautiful Bride of Christ.

The Painful Lesson 3 - For the Sake of the Covenant

Today is just a bit lighter. We are going to have a look at why in the world He cares so much. God does care for you, sister.

Begin at Jeremiah 11. God instructs Jeremiah to remind Israel about their covenant.

Sisters, we have a marriage covenant with Him as the Bride of Christ.

At my church, the weddings our pastor performs often include in the charge to the couple this reminder; that marriage is not a contract which can be broken. It is a covenant an unbreakable agreement where both sides exhibit a responsibility. A covenant is stronger than a pact, a handshake, or a promise.

God is Truth, and He made a covenant with us. This is a big reason why He works so hard at getting us, wandering hearts that we are, back. He longs to fulfill His side of the covenant, but it is two sided. See verses 4-5

I notice in 11:4 how well He remembers His promise. How many times have we tried to recall something but some of the details are a little fuzzy. I’m not talking about when you were trying to recall a dream, necessarily, but promises you have made, events or words from your childhood, or even stuff you learned in school. We really don’t have that great of memories when you get right down to it. But God does. He remembers every word. Every detail. Throughout our study you will see Him referencing His words again and again, and you can be sure He gets it right.

Jeremiah 11:4 “For I said …if you obey me …then you will be my people, and I will be your God.” NLT

He is crying here for His Bride to remember just one very important thing.

Remember the covenant we made.

Remember your wedding vows.

(Verses 2, 6, 7)

Some of us, Sisters, have willfully rejected Him. Maybe something harsh has happened in your life that you wish God hadn’t allowed. If God is good, why would He allow suffering?

Or maybe you have just casually rejected Him – your new life with Him is too mundane and you have looked elsewhere for excitement.

Or maybe you don’t even realize it but your busy schedule has crowded out any time to spend with him or worshipping Him, or serving Him.

If you feel your heart agreeing with any of the above, you are not alone. And I’m glad you’re here. And I’m glad you’re listening. It is very hard to recognize sometimes, when our heart isn’t right with God.

Verse 15 What right have we?

We have seen how faithful our Groom is. We have seen how good, and patient, and wise and forgiving.

WHAT RIGHT have we to take advantage? We are breaking His heart – because, Sisters, even if we don’t see it (or don’t care), God sees it, and most definitely cares. He is aware of our decline (vs 16). He knows the pruning we require, and he has the power to perform it, and He is right to do it.

Jeremiah 20:12 “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, You test those who are righteous, and you examine the deepest thoughts and secrets.” NLT

Yes sometimes He allows suffering and sometimes He orders it. And always for our good, and always for the good of the covenant.

“If they obey”: If we aren’t obeying, He needs to give us that “Divine Spanking” so we will.

“They will be My people”: His people. We have taken His name, and therefore for His name’s sake we must be Holy. His character allows nothing less.

“And I will be their God.”: He alone is God.

Psalm 113:5 “Who can be compared with the Lord our God,    who is enthroned on high?” NLT

Psalm 35:10a “With every bone in my body I will praise him:    “Lord, who can compare with you?” NLT

Exodus 15:11“Who is like you among the gods, O Lord—    glorious in holiness, awesome in splendor, performing great wonders?” NLT

Psalm 89:6a “For who in all of heaven can compare with the Lord?” NLT

Who can compare?

And why would we want to?

In your prayer time, spend some time praising Him for His most excellent covenant, and unmatched faithfulness to it, no matter what that brings us through in the meantime.