Beaten Bride

He came home, only to find her there – battered and bruised on the front porch. As he ran to help her up, the old feelings rushed back again. How could she? Every time, it ended up this way…

But it wasn’t always this way. The tattered memory of her pure beauty on the day of their wedding still lingered in each tear. He could still see within her the reflection of the bride that once was. The bride who trustingly walked out to meet him. He could still feel the flicker of pure love as he gathered her quivering hand in his that day.

And even now, that flame still burned within him, as he bent to pick her up, careful of the wounds freshly inflicted by the attacker she’d so willingly pursued… Again. But amazingly, when he looked at his wife, Jesus didn’t see her infidelity. He could deal with that. He could wash it all away. He’d clean her up again. He’d once again see her pure and spotless.
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With the recent events surrounding Ted Haggard, the Bride may be seen by the world to have been beaten severely. A widely trusted figure has proven all too human. Those of us left to lead in the church have another case with which we will be lumped in. This hurts. Some will point to this and say, "See, they're all a bunch of liars. Don't trust them." Others will be quick to say, "He was just under too much pressure... too much for one man to handle... it's not his fault..."

The truth is, we all have this propensity to fall to sin. And we all have the same responsibility to choose Jesus over our own sin. Only He can restore broken humanity. Only He can restore Ted Haggard. Only He can restore me. Only He can restore His Bride.

Despite the first faltering steps after the allegations were made public, it's been interesting to note the admission of culpability. No more trying to cover his backside. No shifting of blame to someone else. No trying to redefine what 'is' is... I pray that he'll continue further in this road of contrition to repentance and restoration.

I pray that we all will resist the temptation that is present in our own lives. May God's grace keep us pure and whole, and restore us when we're messy and broken.

Posted By:C. Thomas Johnson

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