“Do not forsake me oh my darlin’/ On this our wedding day…/ Wait, wait along!”
So goes the first verse of Tex Ritter’s award wining song for the 1952 black-and-white film ‘High Noon’ featuring Gary Cooper and Grace Kelley, considered by most film critics as the all-time definitive Western movie. This is neither about westerns nor movies; this is about faithfulness -- as the song invokes -- to Christ the King with Whom we have a wedding appointment, either as invited guests [Mt 22:1, Rev 19:9] or as part of the Church, His Bride. [Rev 19:7-8, Rev 21:10]
Apostle Paul tenderly foretells of this day in 2 Cor 11:1-2. “I hope you will put up with a little of my foolishness; but you are already doing that. I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.’ [NIV] The NKJV phrases the same passage with more romanticism. “For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.”
We are enjoined to be faithful betrothed to the Bridegroom of the Church! ‘Virgin’ refers spiritually to all believers [men and women] who have not been seduced by false doctrines or adulterated ‘gospels’ about Christ.
Here, Paul spoke as a 1st century Friend of the Bridegroom; today we call the Friend as the ‘Best Man’. In another epistle [Eph 5:22-32], Paul made an analogy between the marital union of man and wife and the loving union of Christ and His Church.
The Bridegroom has made this betrothal vow [more binding than our present day ‘engagement’] in Heb 13:5. "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." This Divine promise is stated a total of three times through the Bible, making it triply binding. His beautiful promise is comforting, encouraging and exhorting. Consider the contexts when God made this statement.
In Deut 31:6-8, Moses, as a spokesman for God, speaks to the embryonic nation of Israel about to enter the Promised Land. In Josh 1:5, God made this promise to Joshua personally, when He called him to continue in Moses’ place as the leader and general of His people; Joshua was encouraged to be strong and courageous, cross the Jordan and conquer a hostile territory, sustained by His constant presence and great faithfulness. In Hebrews, the promise is set in exhortations against sexual immorality, greed and envy of others. God should be the faithful believer’s paramount desire and yearning.
In our happy moments, we often forget Who made our happiness possible. Nevertheless, He is there, rejoicing with us. In our dark moments, when we are sick, writhing in pain, or overwhelmed with problems or frustrations, He is with us, ready to comfort and help. In our dangerous moments, when tempted by or fallen in sin – because we are weak and easily deceived – He is there, to convict us and restore us to repentance. His tender mercies never end. In moments of desolation and loneliness –as we grow old and waste away, neglected and forgotten - He is there, because He loves us to the uttermost, to the end. [John 13:1]; we abide in Him as a branch abides in the Vine. His love endures forever!
At the moment of death, He will be there. If we have been faithful and fruitful with the gifts He entrusted to us, He will say with the gentlest of smiles, ‘Well done!” and invite us to enter His joy.
Family members may forsake us. There are fathers and husbands who abandon wife and children. There are mothers who kill their babies. There are friends or relatives who betray. They may even be us! But Prov 18:24 speaks of only One exception: “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” He is Jesus the Lord, faithful and true! Lover of the believer’s soul!
"Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (written by Jonseb)
So goes the first verse of Tex Ritter’s award wining song for the 1952 black-and-white film ‘High Noon’ featuring Gary Cooper and Grace Kelley, considered by most film critics as the all-time definitive Western movie. This is neither about westerns nor movies; this is about faithfulness -- as the song invokes -- to Christ the King with Whom we have a wedding appointment, either as invited guests [Mt 22:1, Rev 19:9] or as part of the Church, His Bride. [Rev 19:7-8, Rev 21:10]
Apostle Paul tenderly foretells of this day in 2 Cor 11:1-2. “I hope you will put up with a little of my foolishness; but you are already doing that. I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.’ [NIV] The NKJV phrases the same passage with more romanticism. “For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.”
We are enjoined to be faithful betrothed to the Bridegroom of the Church! ‘Virgin’ refers spiritually to all believers [men and women] who have not been seduced by false doctrines or adulterated ‘gospels’ about Christ.
Here, Paul spoke as a 1st century Friend of the Bridegroom; today we call the Friend as the ‘Best Man’. In another epistle [Eph 5:22-32], Paul made an analogy between the marital union of man and wife and the loving union of Christ and His Church.
The Bridegroom has made this betrothal vow [more binding than our present day ‘engagement’] in Heb 13:5. "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." This Divine promise is stated a total of three times through the Bible, making it triply binding. His beautiful promise is comforting, encouraging and exhorting. Consider the contexts when God made this statement.
In Deut 31:6-8, Moses, as a spokesman for God, speaks to the embryonic nation of Israel about to enter the Promised Land. In Josh 1:5, God made this promise to Joshua personally, when He called him to continue in Moses’ place as the leader and general of His people; Joshua was encouraged to be strong and courageous, cross the Jordan and conquer a hostile territory, sustained by His constant presence and great faithfulness. In Hebrews, the promise is set in exhortations against sexual immorality, greed and envy of others. God should be the faithful believer’s paramount desire and yearning.
In our happy moments, we often forget Who made our happiness possible. Nevertheless, He is there, rejoicing with us. In our dark moments, when we are sick, writhing in pain, or overwhelmed with problems or frustrations, He is with us, ready to comfort and help. In our dangerous moments, when tempted by or fallen in sin – because we are weak and easily deceived – He is there, to convict us and restore us to repentance. His tender mercies never end. In moments of desolation and loneliness –as we grow old and waste away, neglected and forgotten - He is there, because He loves us to the uttermost, to the end. [John 13:1]; we abide in Him as a branch abides in the Vine. His love endures forever!
At the moment of death, He will be there. If we have been faithful and fruitful with the gifts He entrusted to us, He will say with the gentlest of smiles, ‘Well done!” and invite us to enter His joy.
Family members may forsake us. There are fathers and husbands who abandon wife and children. There are mothers who kill their babies. There are friends or relatives who betray. They may even be us! But Prov 18:24 speaks of only One exception: “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” He is Jesus the Lord, faithful and true! Lover of the believer’s soul!
"Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (written by Jonseb)
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