THOUGHT: Jesus & His Love Interest

Can you picture Jesus and the woman He is in love with? Ever thought of that? Ever thought of that in a non-Da Vinci Code gnostic paradise?

Jesus has a bride, He is still waiting to come and claim her but she waits; sometimes better than others. His bride is the Church: individuals who together form a spiritual city with a living river flowing through the middle, and on both shores trees growing with fruit that will heal the hurt and sorrows of the nations. And this city is always open, and each gate into it is made of a single pearl...Jesus. The only precious stone made by pain, suffering and--finally--death.

He is the only way in. So if Jesus is thinking about this woman that He is in love with, well I'm pretty sure that I have not met her. She's not the place I go on Sundays.

Well that's because almost all we know of Church is the institution, the man-made system. That's not what Jesus came to build. What He sees are people and their lives, a living breathing community of all those who love Him, not buildings, programs, traditions, rituals, ancient secrets or new esoterics.

How do you become a member of that church?

It's simple. It's all about relationships and simply sharing life; being open and available to others around us. The church of Jesus is all about people and life is all about relationships. You can't build it. That is the job of Jesus and He is actually pretty good at it.

Is that not a breath of fresh air? Simple. Not a bunch of exhausting work and long list of demands, and not the sitting in endless meetings staring at the backs of people's heads, people you really don't even know. Just sharing life.

You don't need to have it all figured out. Just BE with Jesus. Live in the light. Choose to need Him, deflect your selfish thirst for independence. Choose to love Him, deny your desire to think first of yourself.

Freedom. Life. Abundance regardless of the situation.

With thanks & respect to
Wm Paul Young
& 'The Shack'

g-ram