The Anemic Bride of Christ

May 11

While yesterday's post details the persecution and suffering believers in muslim lands endure for the sake of "knowing Jesus Christ and Him crucified," I Corinthians 2:2, today's touches upon the coldness that has crept into the Western Church. Apathy, and somnolence have fallen over believers in free lands that prevent them from exercising their faith with passion and from sharing the gospel in power. May we be shaken awake from this indifference to the Savior we take for granted and may we be on fire with passion for Him!

THE ANEMIC BRIDE OF CHRIST

The Bride of Christ is ill and frail. She is being consumed by a malady that she does not recognize because she’s borne it so long! What an indictment against the Church—the Bride of the One who heals and sets free—is suffering from the sin-sickness of faithlessness!

In Christ’s day and in many cultures today, a bride is lavished with gifts from her intended and from his family. She is given gold, fine jewels, beautiful clothing—all as a token of their welcome of her into their family. Christ lavished gifts upon His Bride. He told her she had the gifts of prophecy, healing, discernment, speaking in tongues, faith to move mountains...

He told her she could do great exploits in His name—much as a loving young husband tells his new wife she may use his checkbook any way she wishes! The bride writes the check. The groom covers the bill. Jesus told His Bride she could speak a word in His name and it would be done—He would cover all the checks she writes. “...Pray for the sick and they shall recover,” Mark 16:18. “Ask anything in faith believing and it shall be done,” James 1:6.

The Lord has lavished His Bride with spiritual wealth that boggles the imagination! She should be praying for the needs of the lost and dying world around her, but she is suffering from the illness of doubt and unbelief that plagues the rest of the world! She can’t minister to them because she’s suffering from the same affliction herself! And she doesn’t know it because her lethargy has put her into a spiritual somnolence that inures her to her own need!

Will the Bride’s spiritual lethargy render her incapable of bearing fruit for the Kingdom of her Bridegroom? It will if she doesn’t shake herself from it and begin to nurture souls! But first she must allow herself to be anointed afresh! She must give herself over to the One she professes to love and allow Him to deliver her from her weak condition to restored, vital Spirit-infused energy!

Jesus is returning soon for a beautiful Bride without spot or wrinkle (Ephesians 5:27). She cannot be spiritually anemic and consumed with the world! She must be vibrant! She must be full of the Holy Ghost and Fire! There must be a passion in her bosom for her Bridegroom that propels her forward in the pursuit of holiness and Spiritual power!

May the Bride consume the Bread of Life (John 6:35) and drink the Living Water (John 7:38) that she lacks so she may be strengthened, so she may use the gifts—the power of Jesus (Matthew 28:18)—that He shares with her (Luke 10:19) to do the work of His Kingdom! The hour is late. His return is near.