Revelation 21:9 "One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb."
Next door to my office there is an alterations shop. In the window is one of the most beautiful, white, wedding gowns I have ever seen. It looks about something you would have seen a bride in the 1940s wear, long sleeves to small points over the hand, the neck high with seed pearls adorning it, seed pearls all over the bodice and down the sleeves, scattered on the semi full skirt, flowing down to the floor. It is just beautiful. As I left work this evening I glanced over at the gown and the Holy Spirit quickened to me, "I do not alter the bridal gown for the bride, I alter the bride for the gown". WOW! What a revelation to me.
The bride is altered for the gown, the gown that will be worn on her wedding day to the Bridegroom. There is no making the gown fit the bride, the bride must fit the gown. The gown is perfect and pure, it is a size that does not fit all, but all can fit the gown if they will allow themselves to be altered. The gown was selected at the beginning of creation and has been carefully taken care of by the Lord since that first breath of the bride. The Lord knew exactly what He wanted His bride to wear, and the gown was created with all thought and love going into it. The Lord also realized that no one would be able to wear the gown without their being altered, and He assigned that job to His Holy Spirit. Then He gave the Holy Spirit to each of us, each of us that surrendered our life to Him, died to the old man and was born again in the spirit, into His likeness. So we would never be alone without our Lord, the Holy Spirit came to dwell in us, to lead and guide us, to comfort us, to be everything we would need in our preparation to become the bride of the precious Lamb of God.
I know the Holy Spirit had work to do on me to alter me for the dress. In my spirit I can see myself being measured by the Holy Spirit. "Mmmm, need a little lengthening on patience, attitude needs some adjustment, the space where love and mercy flows out must be enlarged, love for the Lord, worship and honor, no, that is just about right, but we will put some stretch material here so she can be stretched as the Lord desires to make her into His vessel, into His encourager. A little shaving off of self-centeredness, oh, my, we need to remove this pride all together. Now, that might just about do it."
Can you picture in your spirit being fitted for the bridal gown, the one worn by the redeemed bride of the Lamb. Perfection once completed, as the bride will have been washed until spotless by the blood of the Lamb, wearing that prestine white gown bedecked with jewels of every kind, jewels never seen before on earth, having been reserved for this gown, for this once in a lifetime occasion, how beautiful the bride will be for her Bridegroom.
We must allow the Holy Spirit to alter us, make us fit and ready to adorn this beautiful gown. It has been waiting for us, the bride of Christ, waiting for so long, and the time is short now. The proposal has been made, the Bridegroom has presented Himself to the bride-to-be and shown her all His love, all the honor and glory He wants to bestow on her, and He has gone to prepare a home for her. It won't be long now until the Father tells Him that the home is ready, that it is ready for He and the bride to dwell in, and the Father will tell the Son to go get His bride. I can sense the excitement building in Heaven now as the Lord finishes the last touches on the home He has sacrificed so much to make for His bride, and I know the excitement in my heart as I am being prepared by the Holy Spirit to receive my Groom. Are you excited, are you ready? Have you given all your heart to your Bridegroom, He will not accept any thing less that a heart that is completely and totally given to Him alone; eyes for only Him, love that goes only to Him, no one else on earth coming before Him.
So, ask your heart, are you ready? Have you been for your final fitting for the gown? If not, don't delay, the alterations shop will not be open for ever and there is a deadline for the perfect bride that fits the gown. We fit the gown, remember, we are altered to fit the gown.
My precious Bridegroom, perhaps a few more alterations, the Holy Spirit is working so with me to make me what You desire me to be, what You are longing for in a bride. I so want to be perfect for the gown, to be beautiful and pure before You on our special day. This 26th day of August, 2011, I am awaiting my final fitting, and I am waiting, so in love with You, my Lord, so adoring You, waiting to become Your Bride.
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