The Hidden Beauty of the Bride
 

The Marriage Relationship was the first interpersonal human relationship instituted by God. We find it’s foundation in Genesis 2:23-24. In this God ordained marriage manual we find the 3 keys to a successful marriage:
1. Leave;
2. Cleave;
3. Unify.

The responsibilities of a godly husband are to protect; to provide; to nurture; to be the head of the home; to be a natural leader; and, to be the spiritual leader. The responsibilities of the wife are to be a helpmeet; to support the husband; to care for and maintain the home; to produce children. From this relationship of the man and the woman we find the fulfillment of Psalm 127:3 which reads “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.”

The world in which we live has managed to confuse and in some cases to even reverse the roles. We are seeing more soft men and strong women; women working men’s jobs and men working women’s jobs; women leading the home and men passively allowing it. But, try as they might, they will never be able to change the fact that a man has to be the father and a woman has to be the mother that bears children.

Two significant Old Testament examples of the heart of a mother are Hannah and Rachel. Hannah looked at the condition of the world around her. She realized the world needed a Godly influence. She knew the world desperately needed a Samuel. Hannah begins to plead with God until her soul is vexed and she is misunderstood by the very ones who should have understood her the most. In this sorrowness of spirit she vowed to give the child back to God if He would but allow her to bare a son.

Who can forget Rachel’s desperate plea “Give me children, else I die!” She exemplified to us that innate desire in a woman to bear children. Beyond her will and desire to live was the will and desire to birth another generation.

Considering the New Testament relationship Of Christ and the Church we find Paul speaking in Ephesians 5:30-32 “For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.” The Apostle likens the relationship of Christ and the Church to the marriage relationship. He is the Groom and we are the bride.

Notice he is the husband figure and as such fulfills the obligations of the husband: To protect; to provide; to nurture; to be the head of the home; to be a natural leader; to be the spiritual leader. The Church, as the bride, takes the role of the wife. Again, she fulfills the obligations of the wife: To be a helpmeet; to support the husband; to care for and maintain the home; and she has the unique ability to produce children. Producing children within the church should be as natural as it is in a marriage.

One of the greatest joys in a marriage is the birth of a child. There are few moments in life that compare to those precious few in a labor and delivery room. I well remember the different feelings that I had. Still fresh in my memory are the nervousness and anxiety, the joy, hope, and the incredible sympathy for my wife. It was hard for me to watch the struggle that she was going through. The pain and effort showed on her face. I would like to have done something, but I was helpless in that situation. In all honesty, other than supporting her, my part was already done. It was now up to her to bring forth the child. It would be through her struggle and pain and effort that our baby would be born.

I recall looking into the face of my wife at the moment of the greatest pain, right before birth. To anyone else she would not have been attractive or beautiful. There was nothing about her right then that would have caused anyone to be drawn to her. Her hair was disheveled, her face contorted. The sweat was pouring off of her. “Attractive” would be the last word to come to anyone’s mind.

But in that moment there was a hidden beauty that came out that I had never seen before. There was something that happened inside of me when I looked into her eyes at that precise moment. I saw what the rest of the world could not see. I saw a Hidden Beauty of the Bride that would only be evident during a time of travail in childbirth. It made me love her that much more. It made me realize all over again how glad I was that this woman was my bride.

Apostolic revival mandates that there is the birth of spiritual children. There is a major difference that has been created by the Church in this delivery room. We have mistakenly reversed roles with the Father. We have put the burden on Him to be the one to struggle in the birth process. This is not God’s plan.

The Father has done all that He can do. He has placed the potential for birth within the bride and now He stands anxiously by in the delivery room. He looks at this bride of His. He is looking for that Hidden Beauty that comes out only during a time of travail. If we are going to see Apostolic revival we must travail and bring forth children.

Micah 4:10 “Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail:”

Very well put Brother.
That is so true. I do remember the conflict at the birth of our children and yes, the beauty even if there was great travail.

We do need to be birthing children and it is true when Zion travails she brought forth Children.

Thing is do we love our "Spiritual CHildren" as much as our own or is it all a big "inconvience?"

Very good~ It seem there have been many stillbirths brought about within the bride.

Are there many who still know how to do this?

Wow!! What else can be said here?! This is another example of what is right about this board...!!:thumbsup

Awesome Bro. Ford! Continue!

Blessings, Rhoni

Thanks for all of the kind comments. I have been stirred a good bit lately about the seeming lack of God given burden that used to exist in the church. I remember when I came into the church in the late 70's how folks would travail in the altar on a regular basis. It seemed there was a much greater emphasis on travail in those days. Afraid we are becoming programmed to look for and expect a "microwave" revival.

Well?

Great post rrford!

Bumping for all those that might have missed it!!!

Awesome post...

Just an observation, I think the church needs a more effective neonatal department. Many of their kids have died under the warming lamp...

And many have died because of the lack of a warming lamp. When one loses too many the desire to birth new ones begins to wane. Many reasons for that, but I digress.

You don't want me to go there, but I think this could be the reason for the persistant and incessant messages to the choir how and why the Apostolic movement is the most correct, the most biblically accurate, and how those who don't believe this message will be lost...they want to keep the people they have.

(Of course I understand that not ALL sermons and messages are on strenghthening the inertia of the A-movement in the hearts and minds of the people)

Wow Carp, I was just thinking: "The Church doesn't have a problem birthing babies it has a problem raising them", when I saw your post.

People are going to start talking if we keep agreeing.

In all honesty, I think the problem is much deeper than that. The church does struggle with birthing babies as well as nurturing them into well-adjusted, mature saints of God.

The Biblical pattern for both was cut adrift in many ways years ago. A return to the original "Port of Call" would fix alot of things, IMO.

Actually, I wouldn't have a problem with that, it might make me a better person.

Brother Epley and I agree once in a blue moon too. :D

So true Brother, So true! Unfortunately you are right in this thinking.
It also is very sobering.

I have heard it spoken of a spirit of a "Liberated Modern Day" woman!
Now ladies please wait- I am included in this spiriatually speaking.

The modern day woman (worldy) doesn't want kids. It impairs her ability to get ahead.
A modern day woman would rather have fun than raise kids.

It is a sad fact that in North America the birth rate is falling.
It is expensive and time consuming to raise kids-spiritually speaking of course.

The only thing that can change that is getting back a Love for kids being born around an old fashioned altar!:tiphat

Another Amen.

Please expound on this.

I think we see the same problem in society in this country as well. Many babies being born for the wrong reasons and then left to be raised by grand parents, nannies or themselves.

Great addition, Bro. Ron. Thanks for posting it.

Maybe the warming lamp was too close......

To adequately cover the topic would take a book. But let me post a few salient points:


When the motivation for children to be born is all about the pleasure one derives and not because one is in love, then unwanted children are at risk of being born. Such a child enters the world at a disadvantage. When the church seeks "growth" for the feel good reasons of numerical growth and not because they are in love with Jesus Christ and are burdened for the lost, then they birth disadvantaged children.

When parents are only proud of babies when family and friends come around, but neglect them when it just an ordinary day, then they are much like the church that is enamored of new folks until the work of helping them grow into maturity arrives.

We find the early church constantly burdened for those who were not in the body of Christ. We find equal passion for the process of maturation in those that were in the body. The original "Port of Call" is found throughtout the entire New Testament as we are given the reason, the method and the process of conceiving, delivering and raising spiritual babes in Christ.

Unfortunately, many are taking a teenage mindset to reproduction (It's all about the feeling) and Dr. Spock approach to maturity (little or no demands and guidelines; BTW, I AM NOT REFERRING TO STANDARDS)

If we would once again allow our passion to develop and be epxressed as it should then conception and birth is automatic. If we allow normal birth to occur and embrace the tenets of development then we will have a healthy churches until the Lord comes.

I could not agree more!

Selfishness is not an attribute of a good parent, while selflessness is!