I was driving back to class from a quick lunch break. Man that class was long...9am-4:30pm every day for an entire week! I was feeling kind of tired, so I turned up the music loud enough to keep me from dozing off. I had a Michael Gungor CD on in the car and an instrumental piece began playing after the song "We Will Run To You." The song is beautiful. It is filled with strings, piano, and is accompanied by a pretty awesome drum beat towards the middle and end. It is one of those songs that takes your heart to another place as you listen. I had heard the song before, but that day, it captured my attention in a new way. I had a few extra minutes, so I pulled over to close my eyes and listen. As I listened, I pictured one of the most breathtaking scenes I have ever seen. I wish I could have bottled this vision and poured it out before you, but my words will have to suffice.
The music starts off soft and slow with the piano and a few strings. The melody is full of anticipation, and it is in this part of the song that I envisioned a beautiful bride. She was gorgeous in her dress of white lace and she was filled with immense joy as she prepared herself for something glorious. Standing at the beginning of a dark aisle, she was the only thing I could see amidst complete darkness. She literally had light beaming out and around her. The energy in the song steadily began to build as she walked forward towards her destination. Her eyes were fixed on something at the end of the aisle, but I could not see what it was yet. Her steps were firm and she had a focused determination in her eyes as she gazed forward. (music becomes more full and rich with the sound of strings, and in enters the beat of the drums and cymbals) As the cymbals and drums entered the song, it became apparent that the dark aisle was blocked with HUGE boulders. There was NO WAY she could get around them. I wondered when she was going to see them and stop her steady walk, but she did not seem to notice them. In fact, her pace was so steady and her eyes were so fixed that I thought she was going to run right into the first boulder.
As the music built I could finally see what it was she was focused on. There, at the end of the long, dark aisle, was Jesus. He wasn't the Jesus you see in paintings. He looked strong and courageous. His hair was disheveled, His body was strong, and He had a look of intensity in His eyes. It seemed as if He was about to do something that required a lot of energy and heart, but I wasn't sure what it would be. In the mean time, the radiant bride was about to walk right into one of the boulders! As the beat of the drums began to pound harder, the first boulder crashed to the ground with great force . . . just in time for the bride to pass. She was unharmed, and she was still focused. It was as if she did not even notice her "close call." Her pace did not slow down or quicken . . . she was steadfast. "All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies." Psalm 25:10
Suddenly, I realized that the boulders represented distractions and sins of this world like Pride, Selfishness, Fear, Doubt, Hate, Perversion of Truth, Mourning, Pain, Shame, Guilt, etc, etc. The darkness engulfed everything except for the bride and for Jesus. As she walked closer to Him, more boulders appeared. His view of her became obstructed, so with each crash of a cymbal and bang of a drum another boulder fell at her feet. With a powerful swing of His Mighty arm, He commanded each boulder to fall to the ground. Faster and faster the boulders fell! (the cymbals and drums began pounding louder and faster!) Then, as the music built and grew in sound, Jesus began to run. He was running down the aisle towards the bride, her eyes never leaving His face. Crash! Crash! Crash! His arms continued to commanded the boulders to crumble and fall! Down with Pride! Down with Fear! Down with Hate! Down with Deception! Down with Doubt! Down with Pain! The bride never stopped walking because He kept obliterating each and every obstacle.
The intensity and passion of the scene overwhelmed me and I began to cry. There was NO STOPPING Jesus. She was His and He wasn't letting her go. He ran faster and faster and finally stopped. He was breathing heavy. The drums let out one last crash and the final boulder that separated them crumbled into powder. There were no more obstacles between Jesus and His beloved. The drums ceased, leaving only their echo as the violins began to sing. Church bells started to ring as if they were proclaiming the freedom of His love for her. Both the bride and Jesus were beaming now. Her eyes filled with joyful tears while He was still standing there catching His breath. They laughed and embraced and their individual lights came together, almost blinding me back into reality.
I opened my eyes and felt like I was waking up from a dream. I was overwhelmed with the love Jesus had for not just me, but for His church, the Bride. His devotion to His Beloved is not passive in any sense. Jesus' love for His Bride is passionate and will stop at nothing to protect her and love her. In fact, Jesus loves His Bride (You) so much that He came to earth and became human to understand our joys and pain. He died for His Bride, wearing her sin so that she may be adorned in white, and rose again in glory proving He is God. THAT IS FIERCE DEVOTION!
"And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Revelation 21:1-5
"Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, 'Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure'— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints." Revelation 19:6-8
Friends, YOU are His Bride. He has adorned us with righteousness and sees us as beautiful. He is fighting for you with fierce devotion. Trust in Him Today to love you well.
I have included a link to the song. May it lead your heart towards grace, and may you fix your eyes upon Jesus.
We Will Run To You
