Nov | 03 | Midnight Brides

Key Word:- BELIEVE

Title:- Midnight Brides

Isaiah 34:16 “Search from the book of the LORD, and read: Not one of these shall fail; Not one shall lack her mate....."
 
I have spoken with a number of single women over the years, many of whom have been friends, who have longed to be married. They have faithfully sought God in prayer that He would provide a partner for their journey. They are not called to celibacy but are ready for love, in all its forms and demands. Over the years they have been saving themselves for that beloved spouse who they dream, one day, will sweep into their lives and rescue them from their loneliness and their frustration. In every thought prayer and fantasy, in times of happy hope, as well as in times of tearful despair, Disney’s “Some Day My Prince Will Come” has played repeatedly in their minds and danced upon their hearts.”

Months of waiting turn into years and for many, years have turned into decades. Then one day when getting out of her lilac perfumed bath, the hopeful princess, who has lived her life in perpetual preparation, will stare into the mirror and this time hear the whistle of times passing train. Conducted by gravity, her gifts have begun to slowly chug South on the old sag railroad, whilst the crows of age have stepped astride her once bright eyes and pecked her furrowed forehead and dragged down her cheerful cheeks. The thought of her prince arriving right now is still a nice thought, kind of, but mixed with a little anger, a lot of regret, and a bit more fear. Frankly the timing of the prince, stinks! Whilst the thoughts of his sending father, who has been so daily implored. seems increasingly inscrutable? What is He thinking? Why hasn’t He sent the prince?

I saw her in Disney World, Florida. The white and sparkling Mickey Mouse ears, with matching bridal veil, did not become her. She was carrying a few spare tires, and her arms were bigger than Joe Bugner’s biceps. For me though, it was the shorts straining against the dammed up belly and the furry flip flops smacking loudly against the old calloused heals, that dissipated the magic of the shimmering veil into damp and soured silliness. We all know that the paraphernalia of the cartooned Princess was made for the little girl in the long dress a long way a way, dancing in the mirror with matching sparkly shoes and handfuls of smiling flowers singing “Some Day My Prince Will Come” in knowing expectancy. Friends, touched up Technicolor and cheery songs of hope may fill the life of a little girl with happy hope but it’s no good for a real woman, no good for a seemingly forgotten bride, whose flip flops seem to be a flappin. Is there an answer for all those faithful brides a waiting?

The only answer I have found for waiting brides in the midnight of their lives is to seek the far horizons beyond the eastern hills. Such far and faithful gazing will I assure you, make the now, touch and taste the fair winds of God’s fragrant future, fixed in heaven for you. Believe me when I tell you, that such far horizon gazing will bring your dreams to your side and your hopes to your breaking heart. In your frustrations with the much implored and pleaded with Father and much heart remonstrated regret, don’t dismiss these dreams of mating and hopes of marriage as mocking and idle fancies, oh no, whatever you do, don’t clear your table of these comforting delights. “What comforting delights?” I hear some of you say, “ what comforting delights is there when my time here is almost done, my beauty almost faded.” Good question.

Surely, this truth stands forever that “it is not good for man to be alone”. My mere conjecture (for Scripture is silent on this) and my firm belief, is that in the coming Kingdom, though there may not be marrying and giving in marriage, there may in fact be something better and something far more wonderful, than we ever imagined. Waiting bride, it is Jesus that has filled you with this hope of a soul mate and a stunning prince to come, Jesus has given you this desire, even this great need and it is not to mock you, nor to hurt you, but in the end to bless you! He is your all in all, for sure, no doubt about it, and amen and amen, and so I wonder, in being just that for you, if He has in turn provided for you, some Prince of God, who you will only embrace in His Glorious and coming Kingdom? I wonder. I think so. Why not?

If your lost hope has led you to desperate acts, leaving you either sad or sullied, sleepy or cynical; then may I encourage you, to look once again to His throne of grace and the eastern hills of all His promises, where you will find from Him, an even better song to sing than 'Someday my prince will come.,

Church of Christ, desperate for His appearing, look you again to the far horizon, for you are not forgotten either and the best is yet to come; is even coming very soon and hey, His reward is with Him!

Listen:- “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’

Pray:- Faithful God, fulfiller of all my dreams; bring Your far horizons close to my heart once more, in Jesus name I pray, amen.

Addendum:: In 2012 as the Church in England dies and as statistics forecast zero, nada, none, NO men in the church in the next 18 years, this will be an increasing pastoral issue. In truth, it will be one of the major issues in the church.