If you’re a Hallmark movie fan like me, you’ve probably seen at least one of The Wedding Veil movies. These movies center around an antique wedding veil that comes with a legend… the person who possesses the veil finds true love. In true Hallmark fashion, the legend comes to fruition in each movie with a true love story ending. While my husband and son enjoy picking on me for my love of all things Hallmark, I can’t help but feel a sense of HOPE as I watch The Hallmark Channel… whether it is their Countdown to Christmas series or The Wedding Veil trilogies. For me, Hallmark is synonymous with love and HOPE. As far as I’m concerned, today’s world can use a whole lot of love and a whole bunch more HOPE.
As the second Wedding Veil trilogy wrapped up, one of my devotional readings discussed a veil in an entirely different context. Yes, I consider this coincidental timing a “God wink” because it happened just as I was searching for my next blog post topic. God’s timing is always best. This devotional centered on Matthew 11:27- No one truly knows the Father except the Son and those whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. According to the devo author, the word reveal in this verse is the Greek equivalent to “apokalupto” which means “to separate the veil”.
The veil referenced in this devo separated everyone from the Holy of Holies during Jesus’ time, where God’s presence was said to dwell… within the inner sanctuary of the Tabernacle. Only the high priest was allowed to enter this holy space one time a year. Obviously, the Holy of Holies was considered a very sacred place. The fact that only ONE person could enter God’s presence ONCE a year brings about its own form of messaging. If I lived during that time, I would have felt separated from God… that He was distant from me, always at arm’s length.
Now, enter Jesus. When He died on the cross, Mark 15:37-38 says, Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed His last. And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. When that sacred veil was torn upon His last breath, Jesus sacrificially AND effectively removed ALL that separated us from our Father. Now, that’s a message of HOPE! One that aligns with God’s desire to have a deep, loving, and HOPEful relationship with each one of us.
Yes, God wants an extremely deep relationship with us, where we give Him all our cares, thoughts, worries, and dreams. It took Jesus’ love and HOPE to reveal God’s love and HOPE at an amazingly deep level. Before Jesus, only one person could dwell within His presence one time a year. Upon Jesus’ death and resurrection, anyone who believes in Him as their savior not only has God as a Father… they also have His Spirit dwelling within them. Yes, all believers hold God’s HOPE within them wherever they go. It’s like taking the Holy of Holies on a road trip each day for the rest of our lives and into eternity.
Sin can no longer separate us from dwelling in God’s holy place. Jesus’ love symbolically tore that veil into a million pieces where the separation that once was, is no longer. Thank goodness Jesus’ sacrifice lasts throughout our lives and into eternity. While we try to live the best lives, free from sin… we are still human, and sin is a part of who we are. We are all sinners and fall short of God’s grace, however, Jesus’ love and HOPE is forgiving, eternal, and infinite. No sin can separate us from His love and HOPE.
Naturally, when we sin, we become embarrassed and want to hide from God. We hide using a symbolic veil to either cover our face or build a wall of separation. However, God is always there… a veil no longer separates us. So, when sin distances us from God, it is NOT God covering or separating… it is us. We must hold this understanding near and dear to our hearts. Like the Footprints poem, when God seems distant, He is lovingly holding us in His arms.
Jesus refers to Himself as the Bridegroom of His church of believers, adding yet another veil symbolism to our repertoire… another veil connection of HOPE. Jesus sacrificially and lovingly chose the church to be His bride. This veil symbolizes Jesus’ never-ending commitment to His believers and His infinite love for the body of His church. We experience God’s love as a church community when we enlist our church peeps for support. It’s necessary to have church friends who will bring a bit of Heaven to earth through a hug, words of encouragement, or even a meal. Yes, in today’s busy world, church must be a significant part of our lives to unveil God’s love and HOPE in everyday people and daily circumstances.
Whether a veil is one adorned by a bride or provides a boundary from one area to another, you can look to Jesus as a sign of love and HOPE in ALL veils. Jesus unveiled God’s character, wisdom, love, and HOPE as He came to earth as a model of God for us. He tore the veil that separated us from His love and HOPE and now covers us with His veil of grace, love, and HOPE. A veil that protects us from sin and asks us to surrender ALL our cares to Him. He loves His church and is preparing a veil for the marriage of He and His church, where we will be able to eternally celebrate with Him. Circling back to Matthew 11:27- No one truly knows the Father except the Son and those whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. We are united, not separated by His veil, a veil that is a true symbol of love and… you guessed it… HOPE.
Comments