The Secret: How Do You See Love?نموونە

Divine Intimacy

Written By: Pastor Bill Schott

“And Adam said: ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.’ Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”—Genesis 2:23-24 (NKJV)

If you wanted to describe how close two people could be with one another, could you do better than this? Just listen to the sound of it; bone of my bones; and then, flesh of my flesh. The words ring with a divine intimacy. Think how astounded Adam must have felt when he first saw Eve to have spoken such a poetic marvel.

But how does God achieve this oneness out of a married couple? If you recall, God originally brought Adam a bride by putting him into a deep sleep. Then astonishingly, God wounded Adam’s side although Adam had done nothing wrong. He was still without sin. Then God used what He took from the man’s side (a rib) to create a bride. He then woke the man up in the garden to behold the true desire of his heart, and Eve became the bride of Adam.

Do you know that Jesus’ heart has a true desire as well? Do you know He has sought out a bride for Himself, one who will delight in Him for all eternity? Do you know that He chose you as the one? 

The story of Adam and Eve foreshadows your story. When Jesus came to the earth, His love for us is compared to the same bridal theme as Adam and Eve’s. When Paul mentions the creation of the Church (you and me), he says we are His bride. And to do this, God put Jesus (like Adam) into the deep sleep of death on a cross, where His side was wounded (by the Roman spear) though He did nothing wrong and in Him there was no sin. And what came from Jesus’ side (blood and water) God used to purchase and cleanse the church (1 Corinthians 6:19 and Ephesians 5:26). He woke Jesus up (resurrection) in a garden (the garden tomb) to behold the true desire of His heart (the Church) and we became the Bride of Christ.

The same unity God created for man and woman to enjoy is the same unity He desires with us. We may not be bone of His bones, or flesh of His flesh, but we are indeed the Imago Dei; the very Image of God. And therein lies our divine intimacy.

DIG: What does it mean to you to be one flesh with your current or future spouse?

DISCOVER: Read Ephesians 5:21-33 and compare Paul’s thoughts on marriage to Jesus’ love for the Church.

DISPLAY: If you’re not married, memorize Psalm 37:4 and start a journal to God articulating to Him the desires of your heart on a daily basis. If you are married, get a couple’s devotional and work through it daily with your spouse to create more divine intimacy together.