This is a prophetic message by David Orton that I believe is very timely and relevant enough to share.....
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THE DISTRACTED BRIDE (PT. 1)
"… I betrothed you to one husband…to Christ…But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ."
2 Cor 11:2-3
The Warfare of Worship
The Holy Spirit is calling out a Bride for the Son in this generation.
But once we respond to these 'wooings' of the Spirit we immediately enter what I would call the 'warfare of worship'.
If there is one thing that the enemy excels in it is distracting us from pure worship – from the primacy of abandonment to Jesus' presence – from making him the exclusive focus of all our hearts deepest desires and affections – from the inner man being constantly cast prostrate before him, conquered and subdued by love.
Satan will even use the work of God to do this. He will so crowd us with cares and responsibilities, with service and success that our heart-devotion to Christ is all-but smothered. And so, the good becomes the enemy of the best.
Sure, we may lift our hands in worship – we may sing and shout – and even maintain a quiet time, but there is something missing. There is a hollow ring to it all – it no longer seems to sustain or satisfy. In fact, to the discerning it is more – there is a certain dissonance to all that we do and say – we have become what Paul describes as a 'clanging cymbal'. We may, like the Corinthians, excel in the gifts and operations of the Spirit, but be without love.
As with the Corinthians the battleground is in our thinking. We are led astray by thoughts that rationalise and justify our priorities and purposes until, in time, these become strongholds that resist the knowledge of God (see 2 Cor 10:3-5). Our minds are gradually 'fogged' by natural thinking and become veiled to the truth – particularly the truth about ourselves. It becomes increasingly difficult to move in discernment and revelation. And so, we inadvertently pursue other gods. We follow other lovers even while betrothed to the Bridegroom.
Give To Him Who Asks
There is a principle in God of 'giving to him who asks' (see Mtt 5:42; Jn 16:24). The Lord will never force us beyond the level we want. He will exhort and challenge. He will rebuke and correct. He will even draw us with 'cords of love'. But in the end we are left free to resist or respond to the pleadings and wooings of the Spirit. In effect, he gives us the freedom to ask for what we want.
Israel in the wilderness had this freedom. They asked according to their own desires only to receive the answer with 'leanness of soul' (see Psa 106:13-15 KJV). If we earnestly keep asking for something less than God's best – and remember that 'the good can become enemy of the best' – he may give it to us. If we ask persistently enough for a ministry we may get one. But it may be outside of his perfect will and timing for us. Or we may ask for greater influence, or secretly desire a reputation. But what good are any of these things without the imprimatur of the Spirit – without the pleasure of God upon them? We can gain the whole world, but in the end lose our soul.
And so, Christ comes to the 'Distracted Bride', to draw her back to himself. He comes with weapons that are not 'natural' – that are not of the flesh and are contrary to the ways of men. These weapons will not force us into God but if we respond they are mighty to the pulling down of strongholds – the destroying of those thoughts that have excused our distractions – "I'm serving the Lord – I've got to fulfil my responsibilities – this is the price of ministry", "These opportunities are God-given!", "If I don't do it no-one else will – the need has to be met!", "But this is what people expect!"
Now, the weapon mighty in God used to win the Bride is not one of force, but of love. There is no coercion or fear. In fact, fear is banished by perfect love (see 1 Jn 4:18). Three times in the Song of Songs the refrain is sounded, "Do not arouse love or awaken love until it so desires" (1:7; 3:5; 8:4). True love is a fragile bird – and with force it can be fractured or frightened away. So, with great tenderness and with perfect love the Bridegroom woos and withdraws – "… Listen! My lover is knocking: 'Open to me, my sister, my darling…' I opened for my lover, but my lover had left; he was gone" (S of S 5:2, 6). Spiritual 'Hide-and-Seek'
When we are distracted by other things the Bridegroom plays a little game with us – a game of spiritual 'hide-and-seek'. It works something like this: 'When he hides we seek!' It's usually not until the felt presence of God is withdrawn that we start to get desperate.
But why does he have to do this? Because we have excused and justified our lack of response – "I have taken off my robe – must I put it on again? I have washed my feet – must I soil them again?" (S of S 5:3). We have been preoccupied with many other things – with the purposes and plans of the heart – even if they are ostensibly to serve him. Martha was 'cumbered about' with the activity of the flesh in her desire to serve God. But there is a cost to respond to his wooing. This is the way of the cross – and it usually cuts into our flesh, our striving and self-effort, as we attempt to serve Jesus.
Now please understand that the Bridegroom, at this stage, is not dealing with immature love – this is not a new believer here, but someone who has already responded to his love and enjoyed something of his intimacy. The marriage has been consummated (S of S 4:12-5:1) and their love had been previously deepened by a similar experience. Back in chapter 3 she had "looked for him but did not find him" (3:1). And only after some desperate searchings could she finally say, "I have found the one my heart loves. I held him and would not let him go…" (3:4).
But now she is being called to go deeper – deeper in love and higher in worship. She looked for him and could not find him, she called and there was no answer. Sound familiar? You do what you know to do to seek him, but nothing – you draw a blank. Nothing but silence – there's no one at home. Why?
...PART TWO IN A FEW DAYS....;-)