His Pure and Spotless Bride

Then Rebekah and her maids arose, and they rode on the camels and followed the man. So the servant took Rebekah and departed.
Now Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he dwelt in the South. And Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening; and he lifted his eyes and looked, and there, the camels were coming. Then Rebekah lifted her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she dismounted from her camel; for she had said to the servant, “Who is this man walking in the field to meet us?”
The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took a veil and covered herself.
And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent; and he took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
[Genesis 24:61-67 NKJV]

A wedding is always a very special occasion, and scripture tells us it was instituted by God as a pattern for our relationship with Him through His son. He is the husband; we are His bride, and the Beloved says to us:
You who dwell in the gardens, the companions listen for your voice — Let me hear it!
[Song of Solomon 8:13 NKJV]

The Lord longs to hear from us. He seeks our response to His approach. He seeks an intimate relationship with His bride and what can be more intimate than His in-dwelling spirit?

And His purpose is that in the joining, we bear fruit — that His son is birthed in us, His many-membered bride. But His desire — His purpose, can only be realised if we are pure and spotless, and that can only happen if we give ourselves fully and completely to Him, our husband.

On Sunday evening we travelled 5000 miles to Guatemala for the wedding of a very special friend ... and what a beautiful and wonderful wedding it was too. In these lockdown times it was of necessity different from usual, but such a lovely occasion. Tears of joy all round!

We were back home in time for our evening meal — something unimaginable before the internet came upon us; so we are thankful for such a great God who makes a way where there is no way, and who draws each one that He has purposed.

Such joy! It reminded us of that wonderful song ‘The Eliezer Call’, sometimes known as ‘Camel Train’ or ‘Twas a day in early springtime’. So here it is ...

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Twas a day in early springtime,
By an ancient wayside well,
Eliezer paused to rest his camel train.
He had found a bride for Isaac
Ere the evening shadows fell,
For his weary journey had not been in vain.

Oh, get ready! Evening shadows fall.
Don’t you hear the Eliezer call?
There’s going to be a wedding,
And our joy will soon begin,
In the evening when the camel train comes in.

So he took the fair Rebekah,
Dressed in jewels rich and rare,
Quickly to her waiting bridegroom far away.
Where Rebekah loved her Isaac,
And he loved Rebekah fair;
Oh, it must have been a happy wedding day.

Now the blessed Holy Spirit,
From our Father God above,
Has come down to earth to find a worthy Bride.
For our Isaac over yonder
Has prepared His tents of love,
And He wants His fair Rebekah by His side.

We have left our kinfolk gladly;
We have bade the world goodbye.
We’ve been called to be His pure and spotless Bride;
Where we’ll soon behold our Jesus
In that blest eternity--
What a happy, happy wedding that will be!

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Have you never met the person whose religious life is so exact that you are terrified to come near him?
Never have an exercise of religion which blots God clean out.

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