Intimacy

Here's The Word:

Ephesians 5:21-33 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Most of us have never had the luxury (I use the term loosely) of starting our own business. We don’t know what it’s like to have a vision that consumes us to the point where we’re all in, where there is no sink, only swim, or swim harder; well acquainted with the depths of sacrifice and no quick return on investment but still driven by a dream. No. Most of us work for someone else. And even THAT someone may not be the person who initially had the idea for a new business idea. When I read the verses above, that’s what I see. God had an idea for a new idea – The Church. It would be unlike anything else…ever. When I look past the 'religiosity' of the verses, the business model becomes more clear - “Intimacy"!

The goal of the church, and by example the goal of marriage is an intimacy that's not realized in compatibility, but in cohesion. Compatibility is defined as two or more things that work well together. Cohesion is the action of forming one thing. So, following that line of logic, it shouldn't just shape our thinking, but transform it. We usually involve ourselves in one or two ways - either it's mine and I'm wholly responsible, or it's not mine and I'm not responsible at all. In Christ is where we can learn....really the ONLY place we can learn shared wholly, Holy responsibility.

But as to the commonality of our nature – we go with what works for us. We’re all too accustomed to the idea that it’s YOUR company, and I work for you. That’s the business model that makes sense to us. We show up for work and look for our list of things to do for the boss. In all actuality, the boss wants us to share the vision, not just the work.
Even when we really like our jobs, it’s more to the tune of “I like the people" or "the pay is good" or "the work isn't so bad" or even "I'm just waiting for something better to come along... or all the bunches of other reasons that help us keep at it day after day after day

However, just like Christ loves marriage, Christ LOVES the church. He’s captivated by the idea of this business idea of intimacy, fully vested (and invested) in its success. And this is a wonderful realization, but we have to be really careful here that we don’t bring our worldly understanding into this new idea - the church can’t change the business plan. Like we do with our natural jobs, we as The church can’t dictate that there are some things that it just won’t do: Like overtime, training others or other less desirable tasks - or if we do, we expect management to hear about it and address our concerns, or we're looking for another job.

Thing is, with the church, God is not looking for employees, He's making partners. Cohesion. People who will become one with the vision and the energetic enthusiasm to see it succeed, even at the cost of personal sacrifice. Too often, we compartmentalize our job away from His company. Sometimes, we see the lives of people and we immediately think "I don't want to get involved." That's not the way Christ treats us and that's not the vision for the church. He doesn't want us just to get involved, but to get intimate. We're in this with Him, with us, together.
When you read the verses from Ephesians 5, I hope that you see the progression being presented – not just to become employee of the month, but to be one with the business. This is a progression toward complete intimacy.

So then the church is not just a building. Not just a jobsite, but an idea. An idea unlike any other. Marriage is that kind of idea. A business model started by Christ toward a successful intimacy that can’t be compared to anything else.

In my opinion, the relationship between marriage, and Christ and the church has been one where it's not as easy to fill in some of the blanks. I guess that's the reason why there are so, SO many marriage "help" books. And even then, it seems that when it comes to talking about this subject, there's even less information and direction for single people.
Seeing the body as a vested endeavor, like a business, doesn't exclude singles. Because the end goal is still the same; Christ is looking for intimacy with His church and that can be an encouragement to couples as well as those who are as just as complete and comfortable with no desire to be involved in a relationship.
It's all about how you see your job. Your affiliation IN Christ, not just with Him or for Him. The Heavenly Bridegroom is grooming us to BE the business in oneness.

Here's The Word:

John 17:17 - 23(a) Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one;

In Him,
Cros