Wachet Auf

Advent is just beginning. We are only five days in since Sunday and the theme of the bridegroom is strong. Today we watched the first fifteen minutes of J.S. Bach’s Cantata Wachet Auf (BWV 140), which means “Wake up!” or “Awake!”

The cantata is a beautiful setting for the parable of the wise virgins mixed with some reminiscence of the Song of Songs. It is a call for the bride to be ready for her bridegroom. Do not oversleep! Do not be caught unprepared!

The Bride, Zion, first longs for the Bridegroom. “When will you come?” she cries. He responds as he draws near, “I come as your portion…I open the hall…I come, come lovely soul.”

The Bride and Bridegroom join to feast and then comes these astounding words:

So come in to Me,
you My chosen bride!
I have to you
eternally betrothed Myself.
I will set you upon My heart,
upon My arm as a seal,
and delight your troubled eye.
Forget, O soul, now
the fear, the pain
which you have had to suffer;
upon My left hand you shall rest,
and My right hand shall kiss you.

We are the chosen Bride, the church of God. He has eternally chosen us and sets us as a seal upon His heart.

We can forget now our pain, our fears, our sufferings and rest upon his left hand. What a powerful image to rest upon his hand. When I was engaged to my husband, we were once driving down the highway, my left hand holding his right hand. I asked if he needed his hand back to drive and he answered, “No, I only need one hand to drive the car. The other is to guide your heart.” How mushy and wonderful of him! But this is true, really. Each hand has a purpose, even for Christ. One to allow you to rest in the ride of life and one to show affection, leading your heart toward Him again and again.

Again, what teary eyes I have to consider the faithfulness of Christ to me. Oh, Christ, may I be ever faithful to you.

Here is a youtube link so that you may watch the Cantata yourself. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqZE54i-muE