I want to be a Bride without spot or wrinkle

Welcome to my blog ...
I take as my inspiration for this blog and for my meanderings of this time in my Christian journey Ephesians 5:25 - 32 :

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it:

• That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
• That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but
• that it (The Church! Me! You!) should be holy and without blemish.

So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church.

For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

This is a great mystery ... me ... a Bride, without spot or wrinkle ... presented by my Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ ... Oh my!

I had a vision a few years ago of myself in a huge hall. I looked down and I was wearing the most magnificent gown. It was made of the most incredible fabric I have ever seen. It felt so crisp and perfect. The colour was a soft cream but it was translucent ... The bodice was embroidered in exquisite patterns. Oh my. I never felt so beautiful!

Then, He came. He came up to me. Christ, the Lord! Jesus, the risen Saviour and He held out His beautiful nail-scarred Hand to me and we started to dance. Oh my. I thought I was going to pass out with pleasure!

The vision ended all too soon and it took several days for me to wrap my head around the message He was trying to give me. No longer do I look on Him as friend, mentor, shepherd ... He's my Bridegroom! The Scriptures suddenly came alive in a way I had never imagined!

My counselling sessions became alive! These people are His bride! He loves them with that kind of love!

Then this last summer, I came across Jill Austin's book - The Master Potter. She had the same vision. Jesus is showing His bride, male and female, that He is working on us. Teaching us to walk in the Spirit and crucify the flesh. But oh, it hurts.

Sooooo .... thanks to my precious friend, Martha2, I have decided to blog about the process. I pray that it blesses those who read ... but most of all, I pray it blesses my Heavenly Bridegroom as He brings out the iron and presses away those wrinkles. Ouch! He finds wrinkles I didn't even know were there!

And the spots!??? Please pray with me that He does not bring out the bleach for those spots! Well ... maybe if He brings it out that it won't hurt too much?

Well ... alright ... not my will - theleo - but Yours - thelema!, Precious Lord! Amen.