A Bride is a Lover. Period.
“A lover looks radically different than a believer, confessor, and attender.” Pastor Tim
A believer: one who believes Jesus died for their sins and was resurrected
A confessor: one who confesses Jesus as their Lord and Savior
An attender: one who attends church every time the doors are open. They make sure their children are sitting quietly or attending children’s church faithfully. They look the part.
A lover: one who never stops thinking about Him. Every aspect of their lives He is invited into. They love being with Him in every moment. They are safe, secure, full of joy, and hope for today and the future. They long for on earth as it is in heaven.
“Therefore, behold, I will allure her, Will bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfort to her. I will give her her vineyards from there, And the Valley of Achor as a door of hope; She shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt. “And it shall be, in that day,” Says the Lord, “That you will call Me ‘My Husband,’ And no longer call Me ‘My Master.’”
Hosea 2:14-16
Yahweh brings you into the wilderness for one reason. Therefore, behold, I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness. Why? To speak to her heart. Not her brain. Not your intellect. Not even your theology. He needs your heart. In the wilderness is where you become a lover. Egypt does not represent the world. We’ve been taught that our whole Christian life. It can’t be because it was salvation for the Jews at one time. It is the system of religion. The system that continues to trumpet all you have to be is a believer, confessor and attender but that is not true. Jesus gave His life so we could be His bride. A bride is a lover. Period.
Jesus invites us into deep intimacy with Him - not just knowledge about Him, but experiential knowing (like Adam knew Eve and they bore a child). Jesus uses the metaphor of a vine and branches in John 15 to illustrate this close connection. David, in Psalm 63, expresses a soul-deep thirst for Yahweh’s presence. Today, let’s focus on cultivating this kind of intimacy with Jesus. Instead of just studying or thinking about Him, practice being aware of His presence throughout your day. Speak to Him as you would a close friend. Listen for His voice in the quiet moments. Ask Him to draw you into His "bedchamber" - a place of deep, transformative intimacy with Him
