We are a bride

Your people are you bride, Father. There is nothing more scandalous or more beautiful about our faith. We are not destined to grovel as your slaves. Our fate is much more than that. You want us for your intimate companion, your deepest friend, your life partner. It is your intention to bring us to live with you, to enjoy life together, to know each other to the point that all distinctions blur into light.

But even though this is our destiny, we are adulterous. Always, our hearts are running after other things. We would do almost anything not to depend on you because on mistrusting hearts think faith in you is bondage. And so we dirty ourselves with lesser loves, and corrupt every bit of us with thin living, compromise, and disfunction.

Amazingly, you do not abandon us. No, Lord, you come looking for us. You lead us out into the dessert, far from our addictions, and speak tenderly to us, winning us over. You cleanse us and make us pure again. And what is more, you swear to love us forever, despite the risk and our past history. Though we are sluts and hookers, you make us into your spouse and restore to us a Kingdom we do not deserve and have never dream of.

What could be great than a God like you? You would endure shame, ridicule, and the pain of our waywardness. But, like a man made a fool for love, you persist because your grace is really that strong.