I just don’t like to see a man shirk and hide when he has every right to walk with pride.”
              –Luke Short  (First Campaign)

    “And he said to him, “Look now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honorable man; all that he says surely comes to pass. So let us go there; perhaps he can show us the way that we should go.”
              –1 Samuel 9:6 (NKJV)
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The first part of Psalm 45 spoke of the groom, this week we shall look at the bride.  The bride is supposed to be the focal point of the wedding, at least in modern times.  Even in a royal wedding, such as this is, the bride is who everyone talks about and gazes upon.
    Upon reading this portion of Psalm 45, you need to read it with the idea of a royal wedding, plus the grand wedding of the Groom–Jesus Christ, and His bride–the Church.

    10 – Listen, daughter, pay attention and consider: forget your people and your father’s house,
    11 – and the king will desire your beauty.  Bow down to him, for he is your lord.
    12 – The daughter of Tyre, the wealthy people, will seek your favor with gifts.
    13 – In her chamber, the royal daughter is all glorious, her clothing embroidered with gold.
    14 – In colorful garments she is led to the king; after her, the virgins, her companions, are brought to you.
    15 – They are led in with gladness and rejoicing; they enter the king’s palace.
    16 – Your sons will succeed your ancestors; you will make them princes throughout the land.
    17 – I will cause your name to be remembered for all generations; therefore the peoples will praise you forever and ever. (HCSB)

    G. Campbell Morgan said this about Psalm 45, “Nowhere in the Old Testament writing do we find a nearer approach to the disclosure of the secret of the Church than in this psalm.”  The “Bride” is led into the presence of the King with “a joyful, enthusiastic procession” (NLT) to stand before Him, pure, clean, and holy.
    How can the Bride stand before such a stunning groom?  How shall she respond?  
         1)  There is a break with the past (vs 10).  Marriage does involve transfer of loyalty and affection.
         2)  There must be a genuine respect (vs 11).  One can marry from false motives–money, power, security.  When a couple truly love each other, they do everything possible to make honor and servanthood a two-way street.
         3)  There is pride in belonging (vs 12).  A bride not only marries the groom, but all he represents.
         4)  There is a delightful appearance (vs 13-15).  The bride is lovely.  Not all can dress lavishly and adorn themselves with expensive clothing, but all can enter their husband’s presence with “joy and gladness.”
         5)  From wife to mother (vs 16-17).  Smart is the bride who picks not only a good husband, but a good father; likewise the groom chooses not only the woman he loves, but also a great mother to his children. (George O. Wood)

    Perhaps one of the hardest things to do is to move away from parents.  I know of so many who must stay where the were raised.  They are bound to their homeland.  This is utterly wrong if they are a true servant of the Lord.  We must go where He sends us.  “When we commit ourself to God, it’s like a marriage.  We need to forsake all others…  Make the Lord the center of your attention and loyalty.” (William Petersen)
    Think back to your wedding.  I can remember mine and then the subsequent separation of my wife from all she knew.  She put her trust in me (and the Lord) and we moved 900 miles from her home, and 900 miles from mine.  We had to depend upon each other and the Lord.  One more thing in contemplating this Psalm.  Think of how the Lord delights in His Bride.  Think of how much He then delights in us.

         “The Bride eyes, not her garment, but her dear Bridegroom’s face;
          I will not gaze at glory but on my King of grace,
          Not at the crown He giveth, but on His pierced hand;
          The Lamb is all the glory of Immanuel’s land.”
                   –Anne Ross Cousin

If he managed to escape with life, it would make a good tale for the bunk house some night; if they were killed it was in doing their duty—it was all in a day’s work.”
              –Clarence Mulford  (Bar-20 Days)

    “Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the dead. This is the Good News I preach.”
              –2 Timothy 2:8 (NLT)
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We live in a time of postmodern deconstruction.  Part of the purpose of that, and of socialism (aka, communism; Marxism) is to undermine the history of a nation.  Change the history, tear it down, do away with it, they clamor, ah, but history cannot be done away with, it can only be hidden.
    There are purposes behind statues and monuments.  They are to remind us, not only of great men and great deeds, but also of the time in which they were done.  They are to remind us of a day and for us to contemplate why and what happened–to learn from it.
    There are instances in the Bible where we see that God told individuals to set up memorials.  They were to be recalled by the people as a remembrance of what God did in the lives of Israel.  Memories are vital to a healthy today and tomorrow.  History links the past with the present so that we can learn from it and become better for it.  So we can see the sacrifices that were made.
    I want also to say that there is power in memories.  Look at the following by Robert W. Burns:

         “Memory is dynamic.  Sometimes we think of memory as passive; but far from being inert, memory is one of the greatest powers we have, making possible the retention of part of the past and the rejection of the rest.  Memory is part of the area of our mind which influences below the threshold of awareness.
         Memories have mighty power to strengthen our relationship with God.  Wherever we may go, God is there, the same God who revealed himself to us at home.
         Memories have mighty power to sweeten our relationships with each other.  Husbands and wives, when separated can remain faithful by the remembrance of their mutual loyalty.  Memories can mend a broken heart or encourage a discouraged person.
         Memories have mighty power to sustain us individually.  A man’s real wealth is his memory.  Memories have the power to make us bitter and unhappy, or gentle and happy.  Through memory we can enter the life of any person in his time of need by recalling a similar experience ourselves.”

    True, there is a warning we should heed in regard to memories.  It is two-fold:  first, we do not live in our memories, they are there to bring a smile, to be used when others are in need.  Second, memories if not looked at with proper perspective can bring regrets.  “If only…,” “I should have…” and on we could go.  That’s one reason memories are important, so that today we can look at the past, make wise decisions so that when we get become more of a refined and aged person that we do not look back with regrets.
    Look at the admonishment of Paul in the above Scripture.  “Always remember Jesus Christ…”.  Remember His sacrifice and His reason for coming to earth.  Remember how He has helped you in the past.  If He helped you there, won’t He be ready to help you again?  Why do we look to men and women of the past?  To understand that if God was there to help them in the time of need, in the time of turmoil, in the time of ideological confusion, that same God–Jesus, will be with you to help you.

I didn’t have any idea what a wealthy person does, or even if it was something I could do, without messing up my life.”
              –Lou Bradshaw  (Along the Way)

    “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!”
              –Romans 11:33 (NKJV)
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I came across some reading the other night and it stopped me, causing me to take some time to ponder.  Have you noticed how often we read through a Scripture, but don’t take time to eat at the station.  It’s as if the stage doesn’t stop, but keeps right on going.  We need to stop once in a while and not just think but contemplate what is being said.

    “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write,
‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life: “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”‘”
              –Revelation 2:8-10 (NKJV)

    “The First,” think of that.  Have you ever thought of what it was like before God created?  I mean before He created anything:  the angels, the cherubim, the seraphim, heaven, the throne.  What was it like when there were no men, no angels, no words spoken?  What was it like when there was only God?  Joseph Parker said that we have only the “dimmest apprehension of the mystery of being the First.”
    “The Last,” is another mystery.  I am not sure if it is referring to the ages of eternity to come or if it could be referring to the words of Jesus when He cried, “It is finished.”  The last act of salvation was finished.
    The Lord then turns His attention to the church at Smyrna.  It was a suffering church.  The people may have cried in their misery “woe is me,” but Jesus reminds them that they are rich.  He knows where to find them, He knows where they are no matter how dark the grief and suffering may be.
    A writing by Joseph Parker brought the following to my attention concerning the fact that Christ knows where we are when we are suffering for him.  First, he says, “It should embolden us to seek His help.”  “He is within whisper-reach of all His saints.”  It may be only a sigh or a groan, but He is there, He knows.  Second, “It should inspire us with invincible courage…  the shadow of Christ falls upon us, and that shadow is stronger than a thousand shields.”  If courage fails we need to turn to Him to embolden us.  “He knows your frame; He remembereth that you are but dust; He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.  You fail, but He never!”  And thirdly, “It should clothe us with profoundest humility.”  Who are we that the King of heaven and the universe would care for us, would come to our aid?  Yet, He does!  
    There is one more phrase to contemplate, “you are rich.”  Now, I would ask you, what does it mean for you to be rich?  Does rich not differ because of circumstance?  My Aunt always considered herself rich when she received a job from Safeway.  Our family budget almost doubled–we were rich.  Give the widow of “two mites” several talents and she would think herself rich.  Are you rich in comparison to Joe Blow, or to Donald Trump, or to the wealth of Solomon?  Are you rich because your Father sits enthroned with unsearchable riches?
    Eddy Arnold put out a song a few years back, titled “The Richest Man in the World.”  Look at part of the lyrics and it will give you a good idea of what riches are.

         “Now the rich folks talk about the grub they eat
          Now I’ve got all those rich folks beat
          ‘Cause I’ve got a field of yellow yams
          And a smokehouse filled with country hams.
          Talk to me about caviar
          They ain’t nothing but fish eggs placed in a jar,
          I’ve got a whole pond of big brown trout
          Fish eggs what are they talking about?
          Hey I got no fancy swimming pool
          But the creek in the woods is deep and cool…
          I’m wealthy, I’m wealthy…”

    What then is truly being rich?  Is your faith strong?  Then you are rich.  Are your children serving the Lord?  Then you are indeed rich.  Have you spent much time serving and laboring for Christ?  If so, then you are rich.  No matter the turmoil, the viruses that come your way, the commotion and confusion that strikes at you–Jesus knows where you are and that you are rich.