Hello friends, Ann here.
Last week, I was impacted by a post that randomly came across my Facebook feed. I'll paste it below, and then will continue the conversation underneath:
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"Fix Your Eyes on the Bridegroom: A Warning to the Bride of Christ"
by IAN JOHNSON
Suddenly, the prophet turned and pointed outside. Coming up the pathway was the bridegroom. But the woman did not look. Her eyes remained locked on the prophet. The gesture meant nothing to her. She did not turn. She did not rise. She did not prepare herself. The bridegroom was approaching, yet the bride’s attention was elsewhere.
Everything was done in full view. Nothing was hidden. It was as though heaven itself was watching-waiting to see what the bride would do.
This dream shook me, because I knew immediately what it meant. The young woman represented the Bride of Christ-those of us in the Church who are called to long for the return of Jesus, our Bridegroom. The prophet, in this context, represents the voice of revelation, of insight, of spiritual leadership within the house of God. The house represents the Church itself-its order, its ministries, its beauty, its activity.
But even a prophet, even a house, even the call to serve must never become the object of our affection. The dream revealed a warning: the bride had begun to desire the prophet more than the bridegroom. Her heart, though perhaps sincere in its service, had become consumed with the vessel and not the Source. Her eyes were on the messenger and not on the One the message was about.
The prophet did not desire this. In the dream, he did what a true prophet must do: he pointed to Jesus. He directed the bride’s attention to the Bridegroom approaching. But the bride’s heart had already been captivated elsewhere. She did not follow the gesture. Her fixation on the prophet remained, even as Jesus approached in plain view.
This is the heartbreak of heaven.
It echoes the scene in Song of Solomon 5, where the bridegroom comes to the door, knocking, longing to be with the one he loves. But the bride hesitates. She delays. She is distracted. And when she finally rises, he is gone. The moment has passed. The opportunity was missed-not because he didn’t come-but because her heart was not fully on him.
We, the Church, are in a perilous hour. There are many voices, many leaders, many prophets in the house. Some speak truly. Some point faithfully. But the bride’s attention must never remain on the prophet. No matter how anointed the vessel, no matter how glorious the house, our eyes must be on the Bridegroom alone.
There are seasons when the prophet will point to Jesus-reminding us, beckoning us. But when he does, the test is this: will we shift our gaze? Will we rise to meet Him? Or will we remain caught in the comfort of the familiar, content with revelation but lacking relationship?
It is not enough to hear of His coming. We must be ready for it.
Jesus is coming down the pathway. Even now. Do we see Him?
Let us not be the bride who remains seated, gazing at the prophet, missing the moment of visitation. Let us be the ones who, when the Bridegroom is pointed out, immediately turn our eyes, rise to our feet, and run to Him with oil in our lamps and fire in our hearts.
Fix your eyes on Jesus. The Bridegroom is near.
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This made me think:
(a) My eyes do get taken off Jesus.
(b) But how do I keep my eyes on Jesus?
I personally find it hard to keep my eyes on Jesus, as he is the less 'tangible' thing about my faith life. Other things about my Christian walk are more tangible and easy to think about. Jesus has not yet shown up in the flesh to me; instead I carry him. But to connect with him requires imagination. I read about him in the Word, but does it always come to life?
My friends, that is what I'm mulling over this week. How do you keep your eyes on Jesus?
Much love
Ann
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