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. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:1-3
Gracious Lord Jesus, as I pray my way through this Scripture this morning two things stand out with flashing neon brilliance. First of all, we already belong to you as a washed, cherished and betrothed Bride. This is our defining identity as your church—your called out beloved people. Our organization doesn’t define us. Our work doesn’t define us. Our ministries don’t define us. Your relationship with us and your love for us define us.
We are the people upon whom you have set your heart… for whom you gave your life… and to whom you are returning as a great Bridegroom. There is no other relationship conceivable that comes close to offering the grandeur, peace and the hope as your relationship with us… NONE.
This underscores the second thing that stands in this critical portion of your Word. It’s simply this: the intensity of Satan’s hatred for the “first thing”—your astonishing relationship with us as perfect Bridegroom to most unlikely, unworthy Bride. He will do anything and everything, in his scheming power, to lead us astray from our sincere and pure devotion to you.
Satan hates your love for us. Satan hates our love for you. He will let us be anything other than a church filled with deep affection and devotion to you, Jesus. Whether overtly, through persecution or prosperity, or covertly, by exploiting our sin and brokenness, his strategy is the same… to move our hearts away from you, individually and corporately.
Jesus, he will not succeed… for you have crushed his head and you have won our hearts forever. But send your Spirit with fresh convicting and invigorating power. Wake us from our slumber. Restore to us the bridal affections we had for you at first. Rekindle the fire and passion we experienced when it first dawned upon us that you chose us to be your Bride.
We are counted as pure virgins only because you have clothed our nakedness and sin, with your blood and righteousness. We are devoted to you, Jesus, only because of your love and devotion to us. Fill our hearts and churches with the sights and sounds of the great Wedding Feast to come. So very Amen, we pray, in your most loving name.