The Runaway Bride

My name is Lesya, short for Iglesia. I will tell you the story of my romantic love with a Friend named Emmi, from the word Emmanuel.

At the very beginning of our acquaintance, our relationship was quite unusual. My dear Friend would constantly come to me during the cool of the day and tell me how beautiful the world He had given me was. How pleasant it is to remember that time when happiness, joy, and love reigned everywhere!

But one day, someone appeared in my life who began to tell something strange about Emmi and brought much sorrow and experiences into my life. I saw myself naked and wanted to run away and hide from shame, but my dear Friend came out to search for me, asking, "Where are you?" I had to appear before Him as I was. Emmi clothed me in leather garments and gave me some instructions for the future, making it clear that He would pay my debts to the law.

Time passed, I grew and gained experience. The world around me did not become better, and soon came a moment when my Almighty Friend decided to destroy everything with the waters of the flood, leaving only me. It was very scary, but I went through this trial.

Time went on. Emmi called me again, and I believed Him, and it was counted to me as righteousness. He produced a great people from me, to whom He gave His laws and commandments. I appeared before the world in all Heavenly beauty, protected from all sides. I was entrusted to keep this law and reveal Emmi's mercy and justice to the world. But around me were many beautiful guys who attracted me, and I so wanted to have them all as my husbands, which caused Emmi's indignation, and He constantly pulled me out of others' beds.

Soon I fell so deeply into idolatry that my Friend had to send me to be re-educated into slavery, from which He then brought me out, renewing His mercies to me. I learned to worship only Him, rejecting other gods, but even in this faithfulness, I fell into another extreme and isolated myself from the whole world, making myself special and inaccessible.

But a miracle happened! Emmi became one of us, being born into this world. Through His life, He opened to us the mystery of Eternal love, showing the true Heavenly character and the Highest's attitude toward people.

Gathering me into a small group of 12 people, Emmi revealed to me the secrets of His soul and showed the true example of agape, giving me the commandment to love one another.

And then tragedy struck. My dear Friend was killed, and in this death, He established me as His representative in the fallen world, giving me special authority and power to save deceived souls. All the forces of hell and death crashed down on me, but my dear Friend led me through all trials and strengthened my forces, assuring me that soon everything would end, and He would come for me.

Time passed, and I began to fade under the burden of human precepts and traditions and almost merged with the world. But Emmi raised reformers in me, through whom He poured bright light into the darkness of the Middle Ages, continuing to lead me to the intended goal through grief, death, and suffering.

The time came to fulfill the longest prophecy about the beginning of judgment. And during this time, Emmi again gave abundant light through me and renewed the prophetic gift in me, establishing me as the bearer of His truth. I was very small and weak, but Emmi was my strength and held me by my right hand. He gave me various reforms and detailed instructions about what would happen, what to expect, and what to prepare for. And I must transmit all this light to the world. Emmi established His Eternal law in me forever, revealing to the world all the beauty and immutability of His commandments, teaching me to live by them and writing them in my heart with His own hand.

I entered the final period of my stay in this world called Laodicea.

My dear Friend personally addressed me, declaring my miserable state, presenting all my nakedness and worthlessness in its true form. I had to agree with this. But in doing so, He made me a special offer of His hand and heart, advising me to enter into close relationships with Him. Assuring me of His love, He again called me to zealously investigate His counsel and repent of my true condition. He made me understand that He desires to have me as His bride and wants to know me better before the wedding. He was already tired of running after me, pulling me out of another mess, and therefore proposed that I acquire all the treasures of Heaven so that I could be enriched, beautiful clothing so that I could be dressed, and eye salve so that I could see what others cannot see.

I appreciate such attention, but at the same time, the payment for all this is very high, as I would have to leave this beautiful world forever and spend the best time with Him. And Emmi has come and stands at my door, wanting to know me better before the wedding.

A struggle is going on within me. One part of me says that I should get to know each other better by entering into trading relationships, while another part calls me to prepare for the wedding, referring to past experiences, and not waste time on trading but do deeds and save the world.

Emmi offers me a white wedding dress acquired in our personal relationships, but I think my deeds and successful projects will be enough for Him to get to know me better and dress me in a dress of exactly this style.

I ask Him to name me the exact wedding date so that I can come to it and get married. But He somehow says that He does not know me and where I am from. It seems that my deeds do not interest Him at all, but I myself do. He wants to become so close in spiritual communion with every member of my body that I feel somewhat uncomfortable. I have firmly decided that I will come to the wedding and allow Him to marry me, but now let Him not distract me from the important matters that I cannot abandon even for His sake. After all, I am doing them for Him. Let this be a surprise and my deserved righteousness.

When I remember from how many garbage dumps Emmi pulled me out, how many years He has been running after me, how He healed and bandaged my wounds, I somehow do not believe that He will reject me if I do not enter into trading relationships with Him. After all, I am a pure virgin with a lamp. And what He calls me lukewarm is not entirely a fair assessment. I have many hot things that I am simply proud of.

He wants to see love in me? Who can be surprised by love these days? One must show deeds and results, and I have many of them, and He knows this. Think for yourself, will a hungry person be satisfied with my love? No, he needs soup, and I provide that. Moreover, I read a lot and pray, and Emmi knows this too and always answers my prayers.

I do not refuse to be a bride. I'll come to the wedding, get married, and afterward, we can get to know each other from morning to evening. But right now, there is no time. And if some of my members think differently, that is their right; I respect their freedom. Let them go and trade. I'll see what comes of it. I think the main thing now is not entering into trade with Emmi, but faithfulness in observing the law.

What do you think, my dear members? Where are you going, and what will you bring to the marriage feast? There is very little time left; we must manage to do everything and announce to the whole world that it will come to an end, and salvation is only in Emmi.

Reflection Questions for this Chapter

1. Please read Isaiah 54:10-15; Genesis 1:27; 3:6-9; 6:5,8,18; 15:6; 17:4-7; Exodus 19:3-6; 32:7-8; Judges 21:25; Jeremiah 2:11-13; 3:1,13; Isaiah 24:5; Ezekiel 16:34-37; 37:26-28; Daniel 8:14; Matthew 1:21-23; 16:18; John 3:16; Ephesians 3:8-12; 5:29-32; 1 Timothy 3:14-15; Revelation 3:14-22; 19:7-9; 21:9 in light of this chapter.

2. What did you understand from this chapter? Who is it about?

3. What other Bible verses came to your mind?

4. Who is the constant initiator of creating the Heavenly family?

5. Why did God's people always fall into some extremes or sins?

6. How does God relate to His fallen children?

7. Do you think the address to Laodicea is Christ's last offer of close relationships? If not, what other offers are there in the Bible?

8. Can Christ's bride come to the appointed wedding and become His wife, bypassing the counsel to Laodicea?

9. Who will the body of Christ's bride consist of? How do you understand this?

10. Why does the Lord now want to have close relationships with His bride?

11. Why does Christ's bride constantly run away from her Groom?

12. Did you notice that God always seeks His Church and, finding it, raises it up?

13. What will happen to those who do not follow the counsel from Revelation 3:18? Will they have chances to buy elsewhere?

14. Did this parable help you see your problems in the light of the Bible?

15. Does Jesus provide any way out for His lukewarm bride from her lukewarm state? If yes, what should she do?