I Do, but I Don't

As we look at the state of the church today, I sometimes wonder if we really are the church at all. How could the very thing that is the strength, the very body, the actual bride of Christ be rendered so broken and powerless? It’s not just an issue of each of us needing to repent of our ways individually. I believe that repentance needs to come from us collectively. We do not just need reformation in the church, we need repentance. Look at what we’ve done to her. We have made her into something she is not. We have dressed her in clothes that fit our style, thinking she might not be attractive to everyone. In doing so, we have turned her into a harlot, servicing men and women in return for their consistent visitation of her. We have presented her to the masses gathered in buildings, instead of walking with her to the people. We have put her in a place under our control, falsely thinking she would just stay there for us to visit when it was the specified time. We have imprisoned her power, thinking some may be turned away if they really saw her strength, beauty and glory. We’ve done this because we’ve never really seen her in all her splendor. We have not encouraged people to meet her, to get to know her. Instead, we have spoken for her, interpreted for her, and we’ve made her words more palatable so people wouldn’t be offended and therefore like us. We have so rarely spent time with her that we don’t really know the bride. If we don’t know the bride, how can we possibly know the groom?

The bride will not be held down or shackled forever. She will rise with vengeance and power, never to be controlled or dominated, and never to be abused or mistaken again. She will arise in true glory and splendor, in all of her beauty. Like a woman scorned, the only way to walk in her love is to repent, turn back and love her like we did at first.

You see that bride is us, and we have rendered ourselves powerless, thinking the church was something we simply looked at. For too long we have believed we were simply to dress her and be concerned about her appearance, when in fact, we have been destroying ourselves. One day, our groom will return to be united with us, His bride, His church. When that day comes, I pray that we will be splendored in power and beauty in His eye. We have not been a faithful bride, and it is time for the church to repent of our ways and our lack of faithfulness.

2 Chronicles 7:14, Rev. 2:4-5