“So the King will greatly desire your beauty; because He is your Lord, worship Him.” (Psalm 45:11)

For one who indulges regularly in the habit of chewing gum there is the sweet sense of anticipation before the gum is placed in the mouth. The first bite releases the sweet sugars and freshness of the mint that provoke the taste buds to dance to exciting tunes. Although this initial burst wanes with chewing the memory of the initial gratification lingers so that the jaw continues its motion reminding the mind of the initial pleasure.

Eventually, long after the gum has lost its flavour and freshness the tastebuds manage to get a message through to the brain that it’s all over. There is no flavour and there is no freshness. Then the gum is thrown away and another sought to reproduce the initial sensation.

Unfortunately this seems to be an analogy of many marriages. They start out with freshness and ‘flavour’ but a long time after they are lost the couple concludes that they are no longer ‘in love’.

Satan is working hard at destroying the marriage relationship because he does not want people to see the beautiful imagery of the relationship that has been purchased by Jesus Christ for Himself and those who have been created new in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17). Those created new in Christ are His bride (Revelation 21:2, 9) and have entered into the most intimate of relationships.

There are some wonderful examples of intimacy in marriage about us but these all fall well short of that which Adam and Eve had before sin entered the world. However, even their perfect intimacy at a human level falls well short of that which those “born of God” may experience now. Yet again, that level of intimacy falls infinitely short of the intimacy that all in the New Creation will experience with our Lord Jesus Christ.

Believers are a new creation being prepared for and eventually fitted with bodies well suited to the New Jerusalem, new heavens and new earth that our Lord and Saviour will bring into being at a word. The new creation that we are in Christ and our resurrected bodies will be perfect for intimate fellowship with Jesus Christ..

The image that God gave as a visible and tangible experience is being attacked by the enemy of souls but we who love the lover of souls and His Word will taste the reality of that which is to come. No wonder Paul writes, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” That is not just speaking of heaven but of our lives now. This he makes clear as he continues, “Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Colossians 1:28).