The Bridegroom

Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1998
Subject: [NEW-WINE] Re: The Bridegroom!

Gail's NW post is total confirmation of a vision the Lord began giving me
on the wonderful carpets of San Diego - a vision which is still ongoing and
in progress - a continuing vision which God lets me pick up whenever
possible, like knitting!

Been looking for just this right time to share it with all of you!!

Here it is:

The Lord wanted to let me know that my concept of Jesus still tends to be
very much colored by expectations based upon experience in this broken
world.

The vision began as I saw the black-and-white parquet floor, the tables
laden with delicacies of all descriptions, all lining the huge banquet
hall.  I looked up to see Jesus wearing a tux, and then saw I was wearing a
gorgeous white lace dress.  The Lord was smiling at me, but was several
steps ahead of me, beckoning me to come follow Him - He was very busy.  He
was checking last-minute details as servants approached Him for final
instructions.  He was checking to see that the food on the tables was
impeccable in quality and presentation.  I was following Him as closely as
I could, but I couldn't seem to catch up with Him.  He would flash me a
quick smile, "C'mon!"   But He was so very involved in the last-minute
preparations of the Wedding Feast.  I found myself guiltily wishing that I
could just catch up with Him . . . just walk next to Him, with my arm
around Him . . . just be nearer to Him . . . but He somehow was always just
ahead of me and (sigh) just out of reach.

This vision went on interminably, until it surprised me by dissolving.

Suddenly I was back where the vision first had begun.  I saw the
black-and-white parquet floor.  I saw the tables lining the walls of the
banquet hall.  I saw the beautiful dishes with the exquisite foods
magnificently prepared on the tables.  And then in front of me I saw my
Jesus.

He looked almost unbelievably handsome in a white tuxedo.  I looked down to
see my white lace bridal gown, and knew I represented not only the
corporate Bride of Christ, but individually - this was MY wedding!!

And Jesus was not all wrapped up in doing stuff.

He was standing right in front of me with the _most_ enraptured look of
love on His face!!

He couldn't stop looking at me!  "Wow, you're *SO* beautiful!!!"  He kept
saying, with ravished delight.  "Ohhhh, I love you *so* much!!!!!!"

Incredible joy was in His face as He tenderly gazed at me with
inexpressible love beyond degree.  Sometimes He shook His head in wonder .
. . "May I touch your cheek?  Ooohhh, may I please hold you, My darling?"

Occasionally He would throw back His head with a huge grin and look
upwards, saying, "Father, isn't she *perfect*!?!!  Oh, thank You,
Father!!!!  I love her so much!!!!!  Isn't she utterly, absolutely
gorgeous!!!!"

WOW, I thought to myself, this is the *REAL* Jesus!

And this is His REAL Love, that we hardly dare to dream about.

(Even after years of River-soaking we still think mainly in generic and
generalized terms concerning the love of Christ for His Bride - i.e., for
each and every single one of us in particular!!!!!!!!!)

Well, Jesus simply could not take His eyes off His Bride.  The Lord Jesus
was SO obviously much in love!!

Talk about First Love!!  I felt like a kid, receiving the gift of Jesus'
pure First Love given without reservation, without pseudo-sophistication,
without artifice, mistrust, fear, or guile.

He didn't have anything He'd rather do than gaze at my beauty, love me with
everything He's got, and show His head-over-heels pleasure and delight in
me.

Right in front of everybody, He only had eyes for me!!

(Remember, all this is corporately and individually for YOU, too!!!)

I find myself desiring to love, appreciate, worship, and adore Jesus with
the same radical love with which He loves me!!!!

After an extended time of receiving His smiles and awesome, sweet words of
love, I got bold enough to gently ask, "Lord, should we be checking on
last-minute details?"  He never took His eyes off me.  "Oh, I've delegated
all of that, My sister, My spouse!"

What a contrast!!

Our empowering God, Savior, Lord, Friend, Brother, and Bridegroom!!!!!  \o/

As the vision has progressed, I have asked for the poor, the
disenfranchised, the handicapped, the needy, and the ill to come to the
Wedding, so that Father's House would be full . . . and have seen Jesus,
without taking His eyes of love off me, snap His fingers . . . and the
doors were thrown open.  People streamed into the banquet hall, and were
given fresh wedding garments and pointed to the showers and dressing rooms.

I have the sense that Jesus, very deeply in love, is happy to please me,
answer my requests and prayers, and show His wonderful love in whatever way
I trustingly ask.  He doesn't want any distance between us at all.

I think I am finally learning that I don't have to somehow earn His love.

He just keeps saying it, over and over, with such pleasure and delight:

"You're so beautiful!!!!!!  I love you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I love you
forever and ever and ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

And He means it.

Amen.

                        \o/

I love You, too, Jesus!  I honestly love You!  Teach me how to love You
MORE, LORD!!!!!!!!

Holy Love
Flow in me
Fill me up
Like the deepest sea

Like a crashing wave
Pourin' over me
Holy Love
Flow through me

        (Vineyard song)

                        \o/

Your Holy-Lovestruck sister in San Francisco,
Lani Langlais   <Lani@batnet.com>
Vineyard Christian Fellowship of San Francisco,
California, USA

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