Many people say that marriage is a wonderful thing until the honeymoon is over. Two people fall in love, get married and have a nice wedding, then they live with each other and have children – that’s when the reality of the problems of life can really begin. It is the same with the Christian life; getting saved and having our sins forgiven by Jesus is a wonderful thing; getting filled with the Spirit and knowing that you have eternal life is great; feeling God’s presence and that weight of sin lifted from your shoulders and getting rid of the heaviness in your heart is super.
But, after the joy of salvation comes the pain and suffering of walking with the Lord. For you as a Somali Christian problems arise; sometimes your family starts to hate you and wants you to leave the clan; sometimes your spouse and family reject you; sometimes your spouse leaves you and takes the children with them. And you are left alone – sad, tired and discouraged.
There once was a 12 year old girl in Pakistan who accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Saviour. One day her family found her reading Christian books in her bedroom. They beat her; they hit her; they kicked her and punched her. She did not die but she did remain unconscious for one week and had to stay in her room. An angel woke her up and she went to the hospital.
This young girl continued to grow in her faith; she did not let the beatings and the persecution stop her from following her Lord and her Saviour Jesus Christ. As she grew older and turned 15 years old her family arranged for her to marry a Muslim man. She refused to do so. Again her family beat her; they kicked her and punched her for refusing to listen to them. The family tortured her by not letting her sleep for 3 days to get her to break down and do what they wanted her to do. The young Christian woman refused to do what her family wanted her to do. She continued to follow and worship her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
The Lord Jesus Christ visited her with dreams and visions and continued to tell her that she was not alone: “I am with you. I am your Father,” God said to her. The family continued to beat her to try and get her to stop believing in the Lord Jesus Christ as her Lord and Saviour; but his young woman stood strong in her faith. She finally escaped and is now living and serving her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in another country.
Jesus said:
“Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33
“Waxyaalahaas waxaan idiinkula hadlay inaad nabad igu haysataan. Dunida ayaad dhib kala kulantaan, laakiinse kalsoonaada, anaa ka adkaaday dunidaye.” – Yooxanaa 16:33
We are the bride of Christ; those of us who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are His bride – men and women who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are called His Church; His bride, His body and His people. We are all one with Jesus Christ and with each other. We are all part of the same body.
The Bible says:
“Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud thunder:
“Praise the Lord! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to him. For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb and his bride has prepared herself. She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear.” For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” And he added, “These are true words that come from God.” – Revelation 19:6-9
“Oo haddana waxaan maqlay wax u eg maqluuq badan codkood, iyo biyo badan codkood, iyo onkod xoog weyn codkiis, oo waxay lahaayeen, Halleeluuya, waayo, waxaa wax xukuma Rabbiga Ilaahayaga oo Qaadirka ah. Aynu rayrayno oo aad u faraxno, oo aynu ammaanno isaga; waayo, arooskii Wanku wuu yimid, oo afadiisiina way isdiyaarisay. Oo waxaa iyadii lagu amray inay xidhato dhar wanaagsan oo dhalaalaya oo daahir ah; waayo, dharka wanaagsanu waxa weeye falimihii xaqa ahaa oo quduusiinta. Oo wuxuu igu yidhi, Waxaad qortaa, Waxaa barakaysan kuwa loogu yeedhay arooska Wanka cashadiisa. Oo wuxuu kaloo igu yidhi, Kuwanu waa erayadii Ilaah oo run ah.” – Muujintii 19:6-9
We are the Bride of Christ and we are to stay pure and holy until Jesus returns to takes us to be with Him in heaven forever; Jesus is returning to this earth and will stand upon the earth and gather all those who are waiting for Him to return; He will then take those who have been washed in the blood of Jesus and give them clean clothes of righteousness; He will take them to heaven to be with Him forever.
The Bible says:
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.
“But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Then one of the seven angels who held the seven bowls containing the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come with me! I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”
So he took me in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God and sparkled like a precious stone—like jasper as clear as crystal.” – Revelation 21:1-11
“Oo waxaan arkay samo cusub iyo dhul cusub; waayo, samadii hore iyo dhulkii hore way dhammaadeen; oo baddiina mar dambe ma ay jirin. Oo haddana waxaan arkay magaalada quduuska ah, taasoo ah Yeruusaalem cusub oo samada ka soo degaysa xagga Ilaah, iyadoo loo diyaariyey sidii aroosad ninkeedii loo sharraxay. Markaasaan maqlay cod weyn oo carshiga ka yeedhaya oo leh, Bal eeg, rugta Ilaah waxay la jirtaa dadka, oo isna wuxuu la degganaan doonaa iyaga, oo iyana waxay ahaan doonaan dadkiisa, oo Ilaah qudhiisuna wuxuu la jiri doonaa iyaga, oo wuxuu ahaan doonaa Ilaahood; oo isna indhahooda ilmo kastuu ka tirtiri doonaa, oo dhimashona mar dambe ma jiri doonto, oo mar dambena ma jiri doonaan murug iyo oohin iyo xanuun toona, waayo, waxyaalihii hore way dhammaadeen. Markaasaa kii carshiga ku fadhiyey wuxuu yidhi, Bal eeg, wax kastaba cusayb baan ka dhigayaa. Oo wuxuu igu yidhi, Qor, waayo, erayadanu waa aamin iyo run. Oo wuxuu igu yidhi, Iyagu way ahaadeen. Anigu waxaan ahay Alfa iyo Oomeega, iyo bilowgii iyo dhammaadka. Oo kii harraadsan waxaan hadiyad ahaan uga waraabin doonaa isha biyaha nolosha. Oo kii guulaystaa wuxuu dhaxli doonaa waxyaalahan, oo anna waxaan isaga u ahaan doonaa Ilaah, isna wuxuu ii ahaan doonaa wiil. Laakiinse kuwa fulayaasha ah, iyo kuwa aan rumaysan, iyo kuwa karaahiyada ah, iyo gacankudhiiglayaasha, iyo kuwa sinaysta, iyo saaxiriinta, iyo kuwa sanamyada caabuda, iyo beenlowyada oo dhan waxaa qaybtoodu ku jiri doontaa badda ay dabka iyo baaruuddu ka ololayaan, oo taasuna waa dhimashada labaad.
Markaasaa waxaa yimid mid ka mid ah toddobadii malaa’igood oo haystay toddobadii fijaan oo ay ka buuxeen toddobadii belaayo ee ugu dambeeyey; oo iyana way ila hadashay, oo waxay igu tidhi, Bal kaalay halkan oo waxaan ku tusayaa aroosadda oo ah Wanka afadiisa. Oo iyana waxay igu qaadday Ruuxa, oo waxay i geeysay buur weyn oo dheer, oo waxay i tustay magaalada Yeruusaalem oo quduuska ah oo samada ka soo degaysa xagga Ilaah, oo magaaladii waxay lahayd ammaanta Ilaah; oo nuurkeedu wuxuu u ekaa dhagax aad u qaali ah, oo sidii dhagaxa yasbidka oo u dhalaalaya sidii madarad oo kale;” – Muujintii 21-1-11
A bride must stay pure to her husband if she wants to honor God; a bride must stay holy and only serve her husband; a bride waits for her husband to come to her so they can live on earth until they die. We are the bride of Christ; we are dressed in the wedding clothes that are pure and clean; we are waiting for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to return to this earth and take us to heaven. There will be a great feast in heaven for those of us who are a part of His glorious church.
The Bible says:
“Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life. Outside the city are the dogs—the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie.
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this message for the churches. I am both the source of David and the heir to his throne. I am the bright morning star.”
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life.” – Revelation 22:12-17
“Oo bal eeg, anigu dhaqsaan u imanayaa, oo abaalgudkaygiina waan wataa si aan nin walba ugu abaalgudo sida shuqulkiisu yahay. Anigu waxaan ahay Alfa iyo Oomeega, kan ugu horreeyey iyo kan ugu dambeeya, bilowgii iyo dhammaadka. Haddaba waxaa barakaysan kuwa khamiisyadooda maydha, si ay amar ugu lahaadaan inay u yimaadaan geedka nolosha, oo ay magaalada irdaha ka soo galaan. Haddaba dibadda waxaa jooga eeyihii, iyo saaxiriintii, iyo kuwa sinaysta, iyo gacankudhiiglayaashii, iyo kuwa sanamyada caabuda, iyo ku kasta oo been jecel ama sheega.
Oo anigoo Ciise ah ayaan malaa’igtaydii u soo diray inay waxyaalahan idiinku markhaati furto kiniisadaha aawadood. Anigu waxaan ahay xididkii iyo farcankii Daa’uud, iyo xiddigta waaberi oo dhalaalaysa.
Ruuxa iyo aroosadduba waxay yidhaahdaan, Kaalay. Oo kii maqlaana ha yidhaahdo, Kaalay. Oo kii harraadsanuna ha yimaado. Oo kii doonayaaba biyaha nolosha hadiyad ahaan ha u qaato.” – Muujintii 22:12-17
Let us pray…