February 2003

“Behold, I am coming SOON…”  - Revelation xxii

My wife and the kids are presently enjoying the warm weather of sunny Florida.  Not that I’m not happy for them, I am, but it’s just that Iowa is a bit cooler.  This is her annual pilgrimage, not for the sake of religious activity, but for the sake of pure pleasure—it IS interesting though that religion (Christianity) and pleasure, I believe, MUST be linked together.  As William Barclay once said, “…a gloomy Christian is a contradiction in terms.”  There is a mandatory connection between delight and God.  Delight is an outward expression resulting from hidden pleasure.  John Piper said, “Worship is basically adoration…we adore only what delights us.  There is no such thing as sad adoration or unhappy praise.”

Anyway, back to the main path.  My wife will, in a short while, be returning from Florida—probably even with some sun poisoning.  For those relegated to the cold in Iowa, we call it sun poisoning.  For those basking in the warmth of the tropics, they call it sun tanning.  But she will soon be returning.  Could you imagine if I told you that I was not looking forward to her returning?  In fact, I was experiencing a dread of her return!?  That would be really odd.  Some would even begin to question the seriousness of my commitment to her. 

The truth is, each night I go to sleep and every morning I rise, I look forward to her return.  In fact, I long for it!  I even find myself day-dreaming about waiting in the airport and seeing her come off the plane.  (I know, I’m sappy)  But until she returns I will live each day with respect to the relationship we share… one of exclusiveness, intimacy, and delight.  I will not sleep around.  I will not forget my relationship with her.  I will even live in such a way that if she surprised me with an early return, I would not be red-faced.  Why?  Not because I “have to” but because I delight in the mutual exclusiveness of our relationship. 

It is interesting that many Christians are not looking forward to the return of Christ, the Groom.  Some are even mentally dreading his return.  For the Christian, the rapture should not be a source of fear or dread.  Those who are not longing for his return may very well not be exclusive in their relationship with him.  It is the return of a Lover who has gone away on a trip.  If you knew Christ would be coming in one hour, what would your reaction be?  Let me say that your reaction to the Lover’s return is good evidence as to the level of commitment in your relationship with Him.

“Do not worship any other god,

for the Lord,

whose name is Jealous,

is a jealous God!”    

-Exodus xxxiv

“for I promised you to

one husband,

to Christ.”

- 2 Corinthians xi