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In this audio talk, Winston Smith maintains that intimacy is a wonderful and intimidating thing at the same time. How can we grow in intimacy and face the fears associated with it in marriage? We all have an intimacy problem that is spiritual in nature. A fundamental rupture in intimacy occurred in Genesis 3 when sin entered the world. When Adam & Eve sinned, they not only hid from God, but from each other – intimacy was severed. Smith discusses 3 themes that are important: 1.) Jesus knows you and is like you and He want to let others know you; 2.) Learn to share emotions with others – emotions are the currency of personal investment; 3.) Jesus moves toward others in faith, we need to move towards others in faith – the task of intimacy involves doing hard things; and 4.) Jesus accepts us, we have to be willing to accept one another. Smith ends with three attitudes to adopt: 1.) My spouse is not a problem to be solved, my spouse is someone I should help to become like Christ, not to become more like me – I’m not the standard of maturity; and 2.) How can I learn from our differences rather than trying to eliminate them?
Key Scriptures: Genesis 3; Hebrews 2:10-11; 4:15; 5:7; Isaiah 50, 53; Romans 12:9, 15; 14; 15:7
