How much longer!?

Why doesn't God do something? What is taking Him so long? Where is He? What are we supposed to do in the meantime!? 
In church the other day we reflected on these questions. 

(photo by me taken in Kangaroo Valley October 2014)

I wonder if you have heard the imagery of God being the Bridegroom and the people of God are his Bride. It is one referenced a few times in the bible. "Your Maker is your Husband" (Isaiah 54:5). The story of Hosea taking a prostitute for a wife to symbolise God's relationship towards people, Him faithfully trying to keep us, people ever seeking pleasure elsewhere. In Isaiah we also read of God rejoicing over his bride: "as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you" (Isaiah 62:5). I often find this idea really odd, but also amazingly beautiful. That God commits himself to people so completely, makes promises to them. One day when Jesus returns there will be a great banquet, a wedding feast, a celebration. A wedding between God and His people, a celebration where "they will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God" (Revelation 21:3b).

In light of this imagery of Jesus as the bridegroom and the church as the bride. And people waiting for the day when we can celebrate a beautiful and amazing wedding. Read Matthew 25:1-13, Jesus told this parable:

“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

“Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’

“‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

“Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’

“But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour."

Where is God? He, the groom, has gone to collect his bride from all across the world. We wait as those in the celebration are gathered together. Just look at the amazing growth of the church in China and parts of Africa. God is working in this world, bringing people into relationship with Him by His Spirit through his people. God is not silent, his timing is just very different to ours! "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day" (2 Peter 3:8).

And so while God brings in more people daily to his wedding banquet, let us not grow weary of waiting. The delay is bringing more people to the joy of God through his mercy. And so we pray for patience, for wisdom to keep our lanterns of faith burning brightly. We can't borrow faith later on, but must pray to each be satisfied in God's love each day. Let us keep watch.

Eternal God, you have taught us that the night is far spent and the day is at hand; keep us awake and alert, watching for your kingdom, so that when Christ, the bridegroom, comes we mat go out joyfully to meet him, and with him enter into the marriage feast that you have prepared for all who truly love you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen