Preparation

“I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem…prepared as a bride”—Revelation 21:2:

The Lord's recovery is for the preparation of the bride of Christ. For the bride to be ready, the church, the bride of Christ must grow in the divine life unto maturity unto the building up of itself in love. The bride must not only grow unto maturity, but also must be beautified for the satisfaction and pleasure of the groom. Only with proper preparation can the bride be ready to marry the groom. This is God's heart's desire.

Practically, as I was under the dispensing ministry of the word, I was deeply impressed with this matter--PREPARATION. In every field of human life, there is a need for preparation. Be it short term or long term, be it in small things or big things, there is an urgent need for a normal, proper and thorough preparation; both in the physical and spiritual realm.

In my living, I must be prepared daily; to enjoy the Lord in the word and in prayer that I may grow and grow unto maturity. Personally and corporately, I must pursue the growth in life, by all means at all cost. Only such a desperateness will render me the adequate preparation I need to be mature in life, and on time.

Similarly, in my service, I must be ever prepared to meet all the business needs on time, and usher in a successful and fruitful corporate operation. Worldly and secular business men have sold themselves for "success", then why not for the Lord's move. But not in a natural way to produce Ishmael out of natural source and strength, nor in a presumptive way of using undealt natural wisdom naturally possessed of Eleazer, but of being thoroughly dealt by God, circumcised of the old man, and in resurrection of the new man trusting in God's grace, receiving the blessing of Isaac. This is the way I must take to prepare myself.

Preparation is a matter of growth in the divine life, and for such growth, there must be the daily eating and drinking of the word, here a little, there a little, now and then, again and again. And this will usher in the believers' readiness to be mature to bring the Groom back for the ultimate wedding day unto the ultimate consummation in the New Jerusalem.

Lord, prepare us!