The God who shares

Some thirty two years ago at my wedding I vividly remember a sense of victory, and I have always wondered why. Yesterday ( June 10th) I gave my youngest daughter away in marriage, and now I think I understand, at least a little.

In Ephesians 5:22-33 Paul tells us that marriage is a reflection of Christ and the church. Then in Revelation 19:6-9 John sees the wedding of Christ and the church.

Now, of course, I have always known about these verses and their meaning, but what is new (to me) is the sense of sharing in that with God. That sense of victory at the church some 32 years ago was a hint of the victory Christ will have when He returns and is fully united with His bride, the church. Yesterday I gave my youngest daughter away. She looked so amazingly beautiful and there was such pride and joy in my heart. That is a taste of the joy the Father will have when He presents the Church, spotless and without blemish, to Christ on that final day.

For our God is a God who shares all things with His people. Some of the fundamental aspects of God are His authority and creativity. What does He give to Adam and Eve at the beginning? Dominion over the earth, fruitfulness and authority. 

There is one other vital aspect to this. Christ saves the world through His suffering, and part of His gift to us is that we share in His suffering. 

In all these things God is, of course, infinitely greater than us, but even so He shares something of Himself with us.