Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

“It is good to give thanks to Yahweh, and to sing praise concerning your name, O Most High; to declare in the morning your loyal love and your faithfulness in the night, on the ten string, and on the harp, with a melody on the lyre.”

Psalm 92:1-3

Constancy is the act of being loyal. Of having a steadfastness of mind when faced with stresses and difficulties. In a marriage, it’s known as fidelity. The act of remaining faithful to your spouse in spite of being surrounded by opportunities to participate in mental, emotional, or physical acts of spousal intimacy with others. When we have agreement or harmony with that idea of loyalty and determine with firmness to resist movement or separation from it all the time, regardless of what is going on, we are consistent in constancy. This is the way we strive to act in our marriages. This is what partners covenant together and vow to do. They determine to consciously be loyal. When it comes to Adonai, we suddenly think that it works differently.

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). If we will look at Him as our Source and covenant partner, we’ll have no need to look elsewhere. We’ll have no excuse. Adonai will be the only god you will EVER need. We don’t have to go begging to get things elsewhere. We don’t need governments to assist us. We don’t even need to try and meet our own needs. We can trust Him COMPLETELY. If we’ll do the work He gives us, follow His lead, and accomplish what we’re called and empowered to accomplish, our needs will always be met. When we give Him first place, we have first place. Because we are BESIDE Him (Ephesians 2:6). Because He is the head and we are the body and the body is almost always directly underneath where the head is (Colossians 1:18). From this standpoint, we have NO REASON to stray. We have NO REASON not to be encouraged to be loyal. We have NO REASON not to fight to protect what we have in and through Jesus.

“For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy, because I promised you in marriage to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:2). We’re married to Jesus. The ring is on the finger. The covenant has been signed. We’re about to head into the reception and feast like there has never been feasting before (Revelation 19:7-9). But that also means we have a marriage relationship with Jesus. We are spouses. We should be viewing our relationship with Him through that lens. My spouse would be hurt if I didn’t have meaningful conversation with them every day. Whether it’s for five minutes or an hour, having a proper connection is very important. But you can’t sustain that connection without consistent time. Giving that time so that they know they are cherished. Giving that time to show their thoughts are important – even when they’re silly thoughts. Those moments of true connection. That’s what maintains intimacy. How did we ever start thinking that reading a couple of bible verses and praying for five minutes a day really cut it? That those daily devotions could be the totality of our marriage? It makes no sense, when we think of ourselves as a bride.

Outside of Adonai, my spouse bookends my life on a daily basis. Things don’t seem real until they are shared. When I come across new things, I always want their opinion. They capture my attention when they enter a room. I am eager to see them when we’ve been apart – no matter how short or long a time. I prefer not to be apart from them at any time. It isn’t realistic and does not work that way, of course, but it is how I feel. We don’t have to be doing the same things, but I prefer if they are around. And when I have the opportunity to do things they don’t enjoy, I prefer not to. Even when it isn’t a big deal (like watching different things or listening to different music). We DO different things in the same place. We do NOT always do exactly the same stuff. We are not co-dependent. But they are my person. My preferred human. We are each other’s helpers. Counterparts. Working together. Sometimes side by side, sometimes from different angles, always with different skill sets, but dedicated to the same destination. A TEAM. Should it be any different with Jesus? No. In fact, it should be a LOT easier.

Jesus completed His work and saved us (1 Peter 3:18-20). In HIM everything has been accomplished. What we are about is firstly, growing in relationship with Him and being transformed from us to Jesus (Philippians 1:6). He does that transformation, we cooperate with it and intently seek Him (Romans 12:2), humbly submitting to what we discover through Ruach HaKodesh. Secondly, spreading the news of this opportunity to have a relationship with Jesus to everyone else on the planet (Matthew 28:16-20). That’s it. Everything else is in service to those two things. Be transformed FULLY into the new creations we are (2 Corinthians 5:17) – which is a daily process. Spread the news so that others can be set free in Jesus from all that binds us (John 3:16-18). Jesus has done ALL THE HEAVY LIFTING. He has completed what needs completing. He has accomplished what needed accomplishing. He has overcome EVERYTHING that was set up to keep us down. He has FINISHED the fight. Instead of having to labour beside Him to MAKE IT HAPPEN, we cooperate with Him to see it APPEAR. He built the vehicle, put fuel in, insured it, transferred it into our name, gave us the keys, is teaching us how to operate it, and told us to start driving. He’ll be beside us, behind His instructor’s wheel, ready to correct our course when needed (and when we let Him), giving us street by street directions from where He picked us up to where He wants us to go. THIS is the relationship we are in. HELPERS in our COOPERATION with what He has ALREADY accomplished. Isn’t that easier than building something yourself from scratch? He did it, we walk with Him in it. Simple, right?

The issue is that we forget this is a marriage. We turn that phrase into a religious pie-in-the-sky feel-good nothing. We forget it was a description of a reality. It was given to us so that we could comprehend what was going on. Like when Israel described Adonai as a shepherd so that his sons could understand what a trustworthy guiding protector Adonai was (Genesis 48:15). We are meant to have a spousal relationship with Jesus. Intimate. Companionship. Desired. The kind of relationship were we can’t WAIT to spend time with Him. Where we are always talking to Him, checking in, sharing, and getting His thoughts on things. Where we are hand-in-hand and growing together more and more every day. Where we don’t look to other sources, other people, other opinions for anything. Where we are SATISFIED with Him and seek to PROTECT that connection at ALL COSTS. Loyal.

Humanity was designed to have monogamous relationships. To actively live in fidelity to ONE partner. To NEVER have more than ONE partner. Of course, in a fallen world death intervened here and there so that having more than one spouse in a lifetime was possible, but even then we were designed to have only ONE at ANY given time PERIOD – and to not leave that ONE until death parted us. The world has swallowed a lie. They date, having all the accoutrements of a spousal relationship almost from the get-go, but with none of the permanence of a covenant relationship. If things don’t work out, get another model. If you don’t want commitment or a relationship, at least head out and find someone to enjoy a physical connection with. Even better, swallow the lie that they are ‘needs’ that have to be met to maintain mental and emotional health. The devil helped create this system right from the beginning so that he could say ‘you see? no big deal’. So that he could get us to accept spiritual advice from him, not caring that in doing so we were betraying our constancy to Adonai.

We were designed to be monogamous with each other so that we would understand the NEED to be monogamous with Adonai. So that we would have a model of constancy as a type and shadow of the spiritual constancy we need to maintain to stay in the BLESSING. Don’t believe the lie that physical partners are a ‘need’. Or that it is NORMAL to be physically intimate with ANYONE who isn’t your permanent and ONLY covenant partner – for life. Don’t believe the LIE that you need to test the waters, try out different people, and date until you find the one that ‘works’ for you. Dating is practise for divorce (the idea you can just switch it up if it isn’t functioning how you want it to). It is unnecessary. Meeting someone, connecting with them, developing a relationship, developing feelings, and learning how you can mesh your lives into a permanent partnership can all be done OUTSIDE the modern dating practices AND it can ALL be done while maintaining GODLY and RIGHTEOUS behaviour. It is IMPORTANT because it models how we are to be with Adonai. Devoted. Communicative. Open to learning about Him. Open to aligning with His thoughts. Coming into agreement with Him and then creating a life devoted solely to the ONE who truly loves you.

We ARE the bride of Jesus. We ARE in a spousal relationship with Him. We ARE meant to be consistent in our constancy. We ARE meant to protect it, cherish it, value it, and fight to maintain it (James 4:7). Whenever we have issues, we have a marriage counsellor right there inside us. Ruach HaKodesh. Given to us to help guide us. To help us see what is possible. To help us renew our thinking and get into alignment with Jesus’ thinking. To help us grow into the strong, vibrant, dedicated, MONOGAMOUS, and righteous relationship Adonai ALWAYS meant for humanity to have with Him. A relationship made possible by what Jesus accomplished. A relationship we should not only be fighting to maintain, but also to share with others. EVERYONE can have a monogamous relationship with Adonai. We are ALL His children., We are ALL His body. We are ALL His bride. One on one, hand in hand, we CAN be successful in this marriage. In and through Jesus, it is ALL possible. If that isn’t how you view your relationship with Adonai, get into the Word. Look it up. Listen to Ruach HaKodesh. See the real GIFT we have of TRUE relationship with Him. And then protect it and nurture it with consistent constancy.

Daily Affirmation of the Goodness of Elohim: Isaiah 54:5

“For your husband is your maker, his name is Yahweh of hosts; and your redeemer is the holy one of Israel, he is called the God of all of the earth.” When we get overwhelmed at the complexity of life, we need to remember who we are married to. When you’re married to a plumber, you don’t have insurmountable plumbing issues. When you’re married to an electrician, you don’t have insurmountable wiring issues. When you’re married to a lawyer, you don’t have insurmountable legal issues. When you’re married to a teacher, there is nothing that you can’t learn. These spouses have the specialized knowledge to guide you – as a team – through anything that comes up that falls within their specialization. Yes, effort will need to be expended. But they have the skills and ability to make it happen. When WE deal with the world, and we come across the craziness that can seem to be unfolding, we need to remember who we are married to. Our spouse is the MAKER OF ALL THINGS. The SOURCE OF ALL POWER. The MORE THAN ENOUGH founder of all that is, all that will be, and holds everything in His hands. There is NOTHING outside of HIS specialization. There is NOTHING He cannot handle. NOTHING He cannot guide us through. NOTHING He hasn’t prepared for. NOTHING He is surprised by. NOTHING He isn’t able to restore, renew, and make even better than it was in the first place. And THAT is who we are partnered with. THAT is who we serve. THAT is who is our LORD and SAVIOUR and GOD and FRIEND and HUSBAND. Better yet? That is who WANTS us, LOVES us, CARES FOR us, CHERISHES us, and GREATLY desires a RELATIONSHIP with us. How believably cool is that? What a GOOD God!

Your Daily Confession of Elohim’s Goodness:

I taste and see that Yahweh is good; I am blessed because I take refuge in Him.

Psalm 34:8