A story from Pastor Stephen:
Dr. Thomas Lambie, veteran missionary to Africa and the Holy land, was doing deputation work for the Sudan Interior Mission in Glasgow, Scotland. The work was hard and seemed unproductive. One evening, coming home tired and discouraged, his host met him at the door and said, “I want to tell you a story before you go to bed.”
Though Dr. Lambie was exhausted, he paused to listen. It was a story he never forgot, and he found that it greatly encouraged him-and those to whom he later shared it.
There once lived a great nobleman whose wife was dead, and his only child was a beautiful young lady of marriageable age. The father invited all the young noblemen in the country to come for a whole week of entertainment at his castle. During this week, when the young men were in close proximity with her, surely a suitable match could be made with someone of equal rank.
Great preparations were made for the festivities. A band of strolling players was hired. Minstrels were engaged and clowns and jesters, and a great store of food and. drink. Whole pigs were roasted along with capons, hares, and pheasants. A hundred appetizing foods were prepared. The whole castle was in a bustle of preparation for the notable guests.
Early on the morning of the day of their arrival a loud knocking was heard at the postern gate of the castle, and an apparently deformed man on crutches appeared. A few crusts were unceremoniously thrust at him, and the gate slammed shut in his face. He refused the crusts, but he continued to knock.
“Give him a few farthings, someone, and get rid of him” But these he refused and continued to knock.
“Go away, you varlet, or we will unleash the dogs on you.” But he continued to knock and beat upon the oaken panel with his crutches.
“What is it you want?”
“Is not this the day appointed for the guests to come to seek for the nobleman’s daughter? It is for this that I have come to beg for her hand,” and he edged his way into the cobbled courtyard.
“What you?”
“Oh, do come and hear this poor deluded beggar.” Peals of laughter echoed as cooks and servants and soldiers deserted their duties and gathered round to laugh and mock at the poor fool.
The daughter was being adorned for the guests and she inquired of her maid what all the noise in the courtyard was about. Between giggles the maid said, “It’s a poor beggar who wants to marry you.”
“I’ll go and see him.”
Down the winding stairs she went, through the deserted kitchen where meats were baking, out into the cobbled yard, and the crowd opened to let her pass.
“What is it you want?” she asked the beggar. He fastened upon her an earnest look.
“I have seen you while I myself was unnoticed, and I love you and have come to ask if you will marry me?” Groans and laughter from the crowd. She paused and gave him look for look.
“Yes, I will marry you.” More shrieks of merriment from the crowd.
“When?” said he.
“In a year and a day.”
“Very well, I will return,” and he hobbled off.
“You are a clever girl, you knew what to say to get rid of him.”
“I meant what I said.” More laughter
“Of course you didn’t. What fun!”
The guests arrived in due course, but she gave them no encouragement. The nobleman scolded and importuned, and finally was actually cruel to his daughter. The servants, taking their cue from him. Were the same. Gloom descended on the castle even before the departure of the guests. Then ensued an unhappy year for the girl, for although she did her best to please her father, for she was a good girl, he was not to be appeased.
“You would marry a beggar.” he said. He will never come back, that’s sure.” She would smile gently, but even this would only infuriate him. A year passed and only one day remained if the beggar were to show up. The morning passed uneventfully, and high noon. Then something quite different took place.
Distant peals of music and the rumbling of drums was heard. And the sun flashed on spears and polished armor. A courier spurred to the gate with the astonishing news that the king’s son, the royal prince, was arriving at once. There was not time for preparation. The nobleman, accompanied by his daughter, had barely time to reach the castle gate where he saw, riding between two rows of knights and squires that reached to the far horizon, the king’s son. He was mounted on a magnificent white charger and he was dad in golden armor while his face shone as the sun.
Swinging gracefully from his steed he stood in front of the nobleman to whom be gave no recognition. He took the girl by the hand and in a most endearing fashion said. “My love, I have come back for you, even as I promised.” Her eyes filled with tears as she murmured, “I knew you would come.” So he took her, his bride, to his royal kingdom far away. But before she left there was just time for one of the maids to ask, “How did you know that the beggar was the prince in disguise?”
“Ah,” she said, “I looked into his eyes and something I saw there, I listened to his voice and something I heard there made me know that he was indeed the son of the king.”
It is like that. The Lord Jesus came in humility as the poorest of men. He came for His Bride. The Bride is being made ready. She is now scorned and made light of, misunderstood, and rejected of men. You, if you are in Christ Jesus, are that Bride. What does it matter if men despise you? Remember you are His beloved Bride, His greater Rebekah. He loves you with an everlasting love, and one glad day He is coming to claim you to be forever His. Yes, a Bride for God’s Son. He is coming soon!
Bro. Steve
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