When we are baptized by water and the Holy Spirit by the spoken words of those authorized to stand in the Persona of Christ, we enter into a marital union with the Creator. We enter into a union with “Peace” (John 14:27); Christ calls the peacemakers, “the children of God” (Matthew 5:9). Those united with the source of peace must be peacemakers, “for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). Now that we are baptized with Christ, how do we nourish our new birth? I find that this new baptismal birth of unity resembles the consummation of the marriage between a man and a woman. After the consummation of a marriage, the spouses should continue to grow closer, continue to become more intimate together, and avoid souring and straining their union that formed one flesh. Growing in closeness and intimacy requires constant appropriate nourishment.
We who are validly baptized are in marital union with Christ. Christ as our Groom is our head and we are His brides. As in any marital union each partner should contribute to the union in as much as possible. However, no matter what we do we are infinitely lacking and must depend on the Grace of Christ for our union with God. Christ as He explained is “the Way” (John 14:6) to the Father – the way to help us be holy and be perfect. However, we are expected to do all we can to strengthen our marital baptismal union with our Groom as active partners and loving brides. Although our contribution to the marital baptismal union is as minute as the two copper coins offered by the widow, our meager contributions will be appreciated by God as Christ explained, “out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on” (Mark 12:44). Although we are poor, we must offer all that we have to live on with sincerity and love. What we offer cannot save us from permanent death, but it can express our sincere appreciation of the incredible gift of grace that God came to us to abide in us. Therefore, faith in God's loving power without contributing our two coins of poverty makes our faith dead, cheap, and lacking in sincere appreciation of the incredible gift of grace that God gives us.
Some common marital advice is very helpful in nourishing our new formed marriage with the Creator. As any married couple our relationship with the Creator would be strengthened by increasing our knowledge of the Creator. The Creator knows everything about us and likewise we need to learn everything we can about our lover from our faithful stewards, faithful mentors, those who reached death in union with Christ (Saints), angels, those who cared for Christ (His parents) and those who heard him speaking (Apostles and those acting in Christ’s Persona). That is why we should read the Holy Scripture and seek the help of those who built an intimate close relationship with the LORD. We also need to communicate intimately with our Lover daily. And most importantly, we need to listen without distraction to the gentle whispers of the LORD saying, “Speak, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10). The LORD is an active Spouse in our relationship and constantly nourishes our relationship with Him. We need to strive to do everything together with our marital Lover as much as possible. I need to invite the LORD to do everything with me, in me, and through me as one Flesh.
Our Baptism with the LORD is our opportunity to complete our earthly life together as married intimate lovers. An intimate marital union with the LORD would make every moment of our life worth living and we would even rejoice in every suffering that comes our way. Union with our Lover God would make us joyfully and lovingly express His Word, Heart and Mind to everyone we encounter “love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Thus, with our union with Christ, “Everything is possible” (Mark 9:23). Union with Christ is an intimate marital love that makes the journey in life peaceful and joyful regardless of the harshness of the temptation of the world. Just as in any marriage, the union with the LORD makes any circumstances, difficulties, poverty, illness or suffering peacefully and joyfully bearable, because “Not as the world gives do I give it to you” (John 14:27).