April 22: Christ Was Betrothed to His Bride the Church at the Cross
♫ Music:
BRIGHT MONDAY
Monday, April 22
Christ was Betrothed to His Bride the Church at the Cross
Scripture: Isaiah 54:1-10
“Sing, O barren one, who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who is married,” says the Lord. “Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cord and strengthen your stakes. For you will spread abroad to the right and to the left, and your offspring will possess the nations and will people the desolate cities. Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more. For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called. For the Lord has called you like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit, like a wife of youth when she is cast off, says your God. For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you. In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord, your Redeemer. “This is like the days of Noah to me: as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, and will not rebuke you. For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
Poetry:
Mary at the Grave
by Brianna Flavin
At dawn on the first day we knew.
Capers bloomed off the stone walls of the garden. Purple
rosemary flowers smothered in bees, the very air
buzzing alive, buzzing our blood.
The rains had come, washed the dust from our eyes
and the landscape shone.
We sat near the wild mallow,
small mauve blossoms like stars climbing home,
when we noted the shepherd’s purse in flower,
blooms already becoming heartshaped pods
to house the future, my friend,
the truth was exploding from every patch of earth
nothing had ended—we knew it could not end.
CHRIST WAS BETROTHED TO HIS BRIDE THE CHURCH AT THE CROSS
My wife and I await a painting we have recently commissioned for our living room. The theme is the cross of Jesus, the fellowship of his suffering, coupled with the power of his resurrection. We want this to remind us that in our daily search for and love of such power, it is only found with his sacrifice for us and the world. We hate the suffering that accompanies resurrection power but both are inextricably linked in the gospel story of freedom, forgiveness, and life abundant. Our text today from Isaiah 54 hearkens to a period of suffering for tribes of Israel, scattered in exile, far from their ancestral home and promised land. Out of such a milieu a promised Redeemer would be birthed.
A “redeemer” (Heb. “go’el”) was a male relative responsible for caring for a deceased relative’s possessions, including the widow. For example, the redeemer would pay off any debts. If the deceased was childless, the redeemer would marry the widow in hopes of producing offspring to carry on the deceased’s name and family lineage. This was the ultimate sacrificial responsibility, investing much to support the deceased relative’s estate and family but not receiving anything in return.
A case in point would be the story of Boaz, who from the lineage of David redeemed the widow Ruth the Moabite, as an example by which we can understand the full redemption of God’s people in Christ. Ruth bore the various marks of our passage in Isaiah 54, one who was shamed, deserted in death, grieved in spirit, even with a sense of being cast off from her adopted community. What love, what compassion she experienced as Boaz took her and her mother Naomi into his own home, making Ruth his wife, and ultimately producing a lineage which would lead to Jesus’ birth.
That same Jesus who would experience the same sense of momentary desertion and endured the shame upon the cross, where his Father seemingly hid his face from him, all while Jesus screams out “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”. As the Father had everlasting compassion on his only begotten Son at that moment of supreme sacrifice, Jesus demonstrates his own everlasting, compassionate love for God’s children. Enduring the cross, Jesus redeemed his people once and for all.
Which brings us full circle, for we know that a redeemer does more than pay off debts, as important and necessary as that is. Far beyond repayment of debt, the redeemer is betrothed to the widow, the deserted one, so that the family lineage is preserved. Indeed our redemption is a marital covenant, sealed by the Spirit, in which we as the Bride of Christ may rest in him securely. Waiting and watching, working and praying, while our Groom completes his Kingdom plans to be consummated at the great wedding feast of the Lamb.
And what are those Kingdom plans but to do his good will, taking pleasure in and through us during our sojourn while in exile from our eternal home. He is preparing us, molding us, transforming us, so that we become his image-bearing creative agents on our planet to love our neighbors, care for his children, cultivate his garden. As we become one with Jesus, conformed to his image, transformed by the renewing of our mind, we will prove what is the good and perfect will of God. He indeed will establish the work of our hands as today’s song implores. Having died with him on the cross, we his Bride will walk down that aisle to meet our Redeemer face to face where the greatest love story ever told will be consummated.
That’s the story my wife and I hope to be reminded of every time we gaze at the painting we have commissioned. That’s the story we hope and pray our own marriage will in some way reflect – the committed, relentless grace and love of our redeemer.
Prayer:
O Lord, establish the work of Your hands in ours. Build our lives, our marriages, our homes and workplaces, our communities and our nations by the power of your Spirit for the glory of our most wonderful Groom, our Redeemer Christ Jesus.
Amen.
Greg Enas, Ph.D.
Venture Catalyst
Innovatov, LLC
For more information about the artwork, music, and poetry selected for this day, we have provided resources under the “About” tab located next to the “Devotional” tab.
About the Art #1:
Circle of Joy
Keith Mallett
Limited Edition Print
24” x 36”
This art print by artist Keith Mallett shows several generations of mothers and children enfolded in bright colours and a sense of love and joyful fruitfulness. In recent years, Mallett has devoted his talents to themes that portray the beauty and strength of the African-American experience. He says,“It is my desire through my artwork to depict the positive aspects of the African American experience. If I can show but one child the strength and beauty of her past or the bright hope of his future then I feel I have accomplished my goal.”
About the Artist:
Keith Mallett (b. 1948) is an American artist who has worked as a painter, etcher and ceramic artist. His subject matter ranges from figurative to still life and abstracts. Mallett's work has been exhibited worldwide and is featured in corporate and private collections. He has also enjoyed considerable success with numerous sold-out limited-edition prints, and he was given the commission to craft the official limited-edition print commemorating the 50th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's breakthrough into major league baseball. Mallett studied painting at the Art Students League and Hunter College in New York City. His art was chosen for the cover of Chicken Soup for The African American Soul, the first Chicken Soup collection to deal exclusively with the African-American experience. Both Franklin Mint and Lenox Collections have created collectibles of Keith’s most popular works. His artwork can be found in many private and corporate collections throughout the world.
About the Music:
“Establish the Work of Our Hands” from the album Work Songs
Lyrics:
If You don't build it, we labor in vain,
Without Your Spirit, we stand with no strength.
I know my life is passing away,
but the works of Your hands
are what will remain.
Let the favor of the Lord rest upon us…
O Lord, establish the work of our hands!
O Lord, establish the work of our hands!
Teach us to number the length of our days,
Pour out Your power, we'll pour out Your praise.
Teach us to run, to finish the race,
for only what's done in love will remain.
Let the favor of the Lord
rest upon us…
O Lord, establish the work of our hands!
O Lord, establish the work of our hands!
O Lord, establish the work of our hands!
O Lord, establish the work of our hands!
Alleluia!
About the Composers, Performers and Lyricists:
Porter’s Gate, featuring Aaron Keyes and Urban Doxology
In June 2017, a diverse group of Christian leaders and musicians met in New York City for the inaugural conference of the Porter’s Gate Worship Project. Spanning cultures, denominations, and traditions, the Project’s purpose is to engage culture and offer hospitality to the world, particularly through the unifying power of music. For three days, this group of artists, pastors, and scholars - including Josh Garrels, Audrey Assad, David Gungor, Aaron Niequist, Liz Vice, and Stuart Townend - engaged in meaningful conversation about the vocation of hospitality: “bringing work into worship and taking our worship to work.” The group also recorded a live, full-length album entitled Work Songs. “Establish the Work of Our Hands” was written by Aaron Keyes, Sandra McCracken, Orlando Palmer, Madison Cunningham, Liz Vice, Paul Zach, and Isaac Wardell.
Aaron Keyes (b. 1978) is a worship leader and musician residing in Snellville, Georgia, with his wife Megan and their four sons. For the last 15 years, the Keyes family has been rooted in Grace Fellowship Church, where Aaron still serves as a worship pastor. In 2008, the Keyes launched their worship school, with four students coming to live in their basement and on their tour bus for six months of "real, gritty shared-life and on-the-job discipleship." Since then, many worship leaders from around the world have come through their home, gone through their training, and become part of their broader family, 10,000 Fathers. Aaron has recorded five albums, the most recent being a two-part project with his band called, “Through it All.”
Urban Doxology is a group of musicians who minister in the racially diverse and gentrifying neighborhood of Church Hill, Richmond, VA. The band evolved out of the Urban Songwriting Internship Program that is a partnership with East End Fellowship and Arrabon. Arrabon, meaning “a foretaste of what is to come,” is a ministry that equips communities with resources to effectively participate in reconciliation. David Bailey founded both Arrabon and Urban Doxology. Most of the band members are an active part of East End Fellowship, a community that endeavors to be a faithful presence seeking God’s joy and justice for their neighborhood out of love for Christ.
About the Poet:
Brianna Flavin's poems have appeared in numerous venues including Quiddity, Nashville Review, and Rock & Sling. Originally from Saint Paul, she received her MFA from the University of Virginia and currently teaches composition and literature at North Central University
About the Devotional Writer:
Greg Enas, PhD
Venture Catalyst
Innovatov, LLC.
Greg Enas (B.S. Biola 1978) is a venture catalyst for sustainable, innovative solutions to big societal problems. Across education, technology, arts and culture, and health care, Greg activates a diverse talent network with resources to build redemptive institutions and places that offer glimpses now, of the Kingdom not yet.