Brides and Banquets

"You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession (1 Pet 2:9)."

That's the way Welch begins this last chapter of his book, and with it comes his encouragement to read these verses in context, not once but every day for a few months.  It will change your life!!!

Good news now

At the beginning when you first read this book, Welch asks, what would those words have meant to you?  Would you have skipped over them, thinking they were good for someone else but not for you?  But now that we have put words to our shame, let these words roll over you.  They are a summary of everything that Welch has tried to say before.

Yet Welch also 'gets' that life's accumulations of rejections, snubs, demeaning words and the sense that we are second-class even to other Christians can temper our enthusiasm (p. 316).  He describes two kinds of "hard": an "I'm alone in this" hard and a "Lord, have mercy (and He will)" hard.  Hardships won't disappear on this earth but hang onto the "Lord, have mercy" kind of hard.  Continue to say "Help" as the best way to Honour God.

Remember we are Christians under Construction and God has already given us a wonderful fulfillment of His great promises through the cross and resurrection.  Please read Ezekiel 36:26-27.  Continue to grow in the faith by earnestly seeking Him.  Make Psalm 63:1-3 your own, and if you can't Welch warns perhaps this is a heart that is getting hard (p. 317).  Although he does not like to put these words in his last chapter he wants to warn us against the paralytic quality of shame, which leaves us powerless, unable to put up the least resistance.  Fight satan's lies and KNOW that Christ's Words really DO have the POWER to heal the sick, raise the dead, lift YOU out of your paralysis of shame!!!

Read through Psalm 63 again and acknowledge you are in the wilderness of life's troubles, learn to thirst for the Holy Spirit, because you know that thirsting for worldly acceptance and achievement just don't work.  The wonderful thing is that when we start thirsting for the Holy Spirit, shame can't live there, Welch tells us.  Learn to turn to the one who adopts outcasts and never minimizes pain.

Good news to come

Hope looks beyond today, but we still face death.  However don't let death scare you because it is just like a bump in the road now.  Look at what Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:54-57.  Let's look forward to seeing the face of Jesus, but don't let that idea intimidate you Welch encourages, but know that Jesus is the fullest expression of God's character - He is interested in those who need a doctor, He invites you to a meal no matter how low you are on the world's social order.  Bringing nothing to God is the way we Honour Him.  He served us, which means He honoured us.  He severed the connection between all things shameful and us, and put in place an unshakeable/unbreakable bond between Himself and us (Is 54:4,5).

God's anger is also seen and known when He sees the strong oppress the weak, self-interest reigns, abuse is tolerated, poor are neglected....  Justice is on the way (Ps 56, 59, 79)!!!

Meanwhile look forward to heaven, the eternal business of joy, where there will be banquets and wedding - our souls will be at rest, fully satisfied, yet always ready for more (p. 322).  Welch also points out that the best banquets celebrate a wedding, the people of God coming to Him (Rev 21:2).  God Himself makes the wedding garment, prepares the bride (His people), the Church from all over the world (John 17:20-23).  Let's look forward to loving unity in heaven (Rev 21:3-5).

LET THE BOASTING BEGIN because the coming Kingdom, bride and banquet are certain!!!  For now we wait, not in the "I must have it NOW" way, but partnering with others, to remind each other of the truth every day (Heb 3:13; 12:2; 10:37; 1 Cor 1:7).  Know that our everyday life has meaning NOW (1 Cor 15:58) and wherever possible, Welch encourages us to insert "Help" and "Thank you."

So now I have come to the end of summarizing this book, which in doing so has been a great blessing for myself.  I hope and pray that for those who read this blog, they may also be blessed by God's Words.  I would like to finish with the prayer for all my readers: "May the LORD bless you and keep you, may His face shine upon you and give you peace."