MYC 2007 – Guidance

I think many of the things I learnt at MYC can be summed up in the song We Belong To The Day by Michael Morrow.

The chorus says:

Strong as a mighty rock our refuge in the coming wrath.
The heart of the bride belongs to Jesus, Jesus.
The earth in its turning stops to marvel at the son of God.
And all of that day belongs to Jesus, Jesus.

The reason we feel the need for guidance is because we live in a broken world, a world that has been frustrated by our sin (Romans 8:20-21). I don’t know if the world will literally stop turning, but it does long for the day when it will be set free from futility and decay.

Some people see that God made the world and so it is to him that we should turn for guidance, but they think that God has an individual plan mapped out especially for them. So they look for signs of guidance to reveal what that plan is. It’s probably a concept that is taught from Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” I think that should either be read as a promise to the Israelites in Babylon or as a broader plan, rather than individual plans of how your business and your marriage will prosper, for example.

The bride is the church, everyone who believes in Christ. God’s plan for mankind is that on the last day those who trusted in Christ will be “married” to him (Eph 5, Rev 21). That is, they will completely belong to him and he to them and they will share in everything he has achieved – victory over death and restoration to God.

The verses say:

We belong to the day, to the day that is to come.
When the night falls away and our Saviour will return.
For the glory of the King is in our hearts.
On that day we will be seen for what we are.

We belong to the day, let us journey in the light.
Put on faith, put on love as our armour for the fight.
And the promise of salvation in our eyes.
On that day the proud will fall, the humble rise.

We belong to the day, we were bought with Jesus blood.
Soon he comes as the Judge in the power of his word.
We must tell of his salvation while we wait,
For the day when Jesus comes will be too late.

We belong to that day and that day belongs to Jesus. Those who are married know that the time of engagement is all consuming, you are continually preparing for and anticipating your wedding day; it’s a very exciting time. Do we live with joy and anticipation for the day that we will be united with Christ and revel in his glory?

Those that consider faithfulness and monogamy something to be valued might also be able to put themselves in God’s place. The bible describes Israel (I’m sure us aswell, as people who’ve turned from God) as adulterous people. What do you think Jesus would think if you turned up on that day and said “I’ve made the rounds a little bit, but I’m sure now that you’re the one I want.” Or how would God feel to walk into the bathroom at the wedding chapel and to find you naked with someone else?
So even though we are promised salvation only by what Jesus has done, we have been bought out of slavery to sin by Jesus’ blood, which means we don’t have to give in to sin any more. We should live in anticipation of that day, preparing to be Jesus’ bride and telling others so that he might be their rock and refuge from the coming wrath.

Finally, the bridge:

Oh, if ten thousand years go by we will wait.
Let us tell of his great love.
He will come, for his patience means salvation!