In writing to the sin compromised church at Corinth, the apostle Paul repeatedly emphasises the unique relationship believers have with the Lord. In doing so, he uses different phrases to accentuate different facets of the spiritual connection intertwining them with God through Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit.
In the first few chapters of 1 Corinthians Paul explains that believers are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints (1:2), you were called into the fellowship of His Son (1:9), we have the mind of Christ (2:16), you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you (3:16), you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s (3:23), your bodies are members of Christ (6:15), the person who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him (6:17), your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you… You are not your own, for you were bought with a price (6:19-20).
While some think of these truths as nonsense, others consider them as mystical intrigue, and some portray them as confusing mumbo-jumbo with no real-world importance. But to the apostle Paul, as with all believers in Christ, these truths have serious implications that need to be taken notice of. These statements all tell of what it means to be “in Christ,” which is by faith. These are spiritual realities that impact a person so profoundly that they filter throughout our entire lives. No part of our being goes untouched as the Holy Spirit ministers the many graces of God from within.
Obviously, from our perspective, we may or may not recognise these realities in any given moment of time. While they are constantly true as a fact, we are often distracted by activities, other correct passions, by struggling priorities, or partially blinded by the cunning of sin which leads us astray. Sometimes there seems to be legitimate reasons why we allow ourselves to become inattentive to the intimacy the Lord desires to share with us.
However, God is intimate, and He strongly desires for us to spend time with Him through His Word, in worshipful meditation, and through simple but honest prayer which is permeated with thanksgiving. No matter how busy our lives may be, we are able to engage the Lord through His indwelling Spirit in meaningful dialogue. Listening while travelling, reading and praying while waiting, humming, whistling or singing while working are just a few methods of meaningful fellowship with the Lord.
For some, there is simply no time so precious as the early hours of the morning while all is quiet, and distractions are few. Here we bathe in God’s Word, allowing it to roam through our thoughts as we consider His renewed mercies which are released daily (Lamentations 3:22-24). Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul (Psalm 143:8). Here we navigate our struggles, our inadequacies, and even our failings in one to one dialogue with our Saviour while knowing that we are in Him and He is in us.
As God’s children, we need frequent times of closeness with the Lord to unravel the deepest puzzles of our lives and to learn to rest in Him, waiting for Him to do what only He can do with our lives. After all, we are not our own, for we were bought with a price, and that price was the life of God’s Son. May the Lord enable us to enjoy being joined with Christ, walking closer with Him, and in sweeter fellowship.
