JUST HOW IMPORTANT IS AN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD ?
The more time I spend striving to grow in my relationship with God, the more I realize just how important the INTIMACY of that relationship is. There are times when I try to contemplate the absolute Size and Scope of just how BIG AND COMPLEX GOD IS ! As a follower of Jesus, I truly place a huge importance on understanding God’s Word, and just how it applies and shapes My Life. God’s Word often seems simple at first glance. Perhaps some commandments on how to do certain things or guidelines to follow come into focus. Some scripture gives us the opportunity to look at things from an historical context or through the eyes of the people that God has interacted with. Prophets, Kings, Disciples. Priests, Tribes, Religious Leaders. Common people also….moving through the challenges of everyday life….just like us. The one common thread that is always present in all these stories, histories and encounters is that GOD ALWAYS IS FOCUSED ON RELATIONSHIP ! When we look at His Interaction with Mankind, it was never just some unknown cosmic power or idea that was somehow “Spiritual”. No, it was ALWAYS PERSONAL. God used individual people to move the existence and purpose of Mankind forward. Think of the names. Adam, Noah, Abraham, Issac, Sarah, Jacob, Elijah, Joshua, Moses, Rahab, Ruth, Saul, David, Solomon. The list of people God interacted with and used for HIS PURPOSES is endless. HE Is Still Using People Today. HE SENT HIS SON JESUS WITH tHE EXACT PURPOSE OF HEALING AND REBUILDING MANKIND”S RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM ! Jesus came to take on our sin and endure God’s wrath that was meant for us that WE might find forgiveness and Eternal Life in His Cleansing Blood And Grace. An act of LOVE in that magnitude is not some far off action that we simply contemplate intellectually. It Is Visceral ! It is DEEP. And it is above all else INTIMATE AND PERSONAL. IT IS ABOUT LOVE AND CONNECTION !
BEHOLD, I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK. IF ANYONE HEARS MY VOICE AND OPENS THE DOOR, I WILL COME IN TO HIM AND EAT WITH HIM, AND HE WITH ME. Revelation 3:20
I AM THE VINE; YOU ARE THE BRANCHES. WHOEVER ABIDES IN ME AND I IN HIM, HE IT IS THAT BEARS MUCH FRUIT, FOR APART FROM ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING. John 15:5
FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. John 3:16
Jesus is asking us to open the door of our lives and heart to let him come in and eat with us. This means spending time to have conversation and get to know Him. Jesus desires for us to “Bear Fruit”, which means being Complete and Whole. Clearly we will not be able to accomplish that on our own efforts and merit. Can we see the complete LOVE that God has for us in allowing His Son to be sacraficed on a cross in our place, that WE might have Eternal Life ? I think about the difficulty and sacrificial love that it would take for God to do that for ME ? FOR YOU ? Knowing that we are sinners; not even close to being what He created us to be ? In all our struggles and thoughts; our selfish desires and actions; our lack of commitment and outright rebellious nature….and yet, GOD PURSUES US ! Each and every one of us. A Lost Sheep. In many ways it is easy to have a “Belief” in something or someone. Especially when you can keep everything on an intellectual level, or at arms length. Concepts like Science and Philosophy are easy. Stuffing our heads full of facts and stories to be recited are easy. Spouting Scripture is really easy…until it has to apply to oneself and bring self reflection and honesty to the party. Is there any easier lens than one WE can focus on everyone else but OURSELVES ? THE TRUTH IS THAT AN INTIMATE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD WILL NOT LET US DO THAT. We can hide a lot of things in our secret places and behind our masks, but WE CAN”T HIDE FROM GOD, because HE SEES US AND HE HEARS US EVERY SINGLE MOMENT. No where to hide in this relationship. Naked. Exposed. Fully in the Light. We can hide….but we can’t disappear from HIS LOVE FOR US, no matter how wretched we are, or how hard we try.
BUT GOD SHOWS HIS LOVE FOR US IN THAT WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US. Romans 5:8
IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. 1 John 1:9
FOR THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH, BUT THE FREE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD. Romans 6:23
When you are looking at your life in this moment, right now, WHO DO YOU PUT YOUR TRUST IN TO MAKE DECISIONS AND CHART YOUR PATH AND PURPOSE ? WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT MOTIVATE YOUR EFFORTS ? Is your trust in yourself ? Is it in people you admire and spend time with ? Do they know your innermost thoughts and motives ? God Does ! Isaiah 26:3 states it plainly. “ You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” How about Proverbs 16:3. “ Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” How does a person find peace without trusting god ? How can we be certain of our goals and outcomes if God is not involved in the process ? WE CANNOT ! I have tried it and it doesn’t work. In the times I have tried in my own pride, stupidity, or just plain stubbornness, No Fruit Appears that is ever satisfying or lasting. ONLY IN INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD CAN TRUE WHOLENESS AND COMPLETENESS BE FOUND ! WHY, we ask ? Simple answer…Because GOD CREATED US IN HIS IMAGE. HE WANTS RELATIONSHIP WITH US IN THE DEEPEST SENSE. HE LOVES US :) No matter where we are in our lives and struggles, our focus MUST change to BE ON HIM. We MUST let Him into our HEARTS. No more walking alone, or being caught up in shallow words without Ownership, Application, and Commitment. God truly loves YOU and wants to be your River Of Life. THE CHOICE is ours to make. I have 2 scriptures that God has put into my life to turn to, and I focus on them regularly.
FEAR NOT, FOR I AM WITH THEE. BE NOT DISMAYED, FOR I AM YOUR GOD. I WILL STRENGTHEN YOU, I WILL HELP YOU, I WILL UPHOLD YOU WITH THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF MY RIGHT HAND. Isaiah 41:10
WE PROCLAIM HIM, ADMONISHING AND TEACHING EVERYONE WITH ALL WISDOM, THAT WE MAY PRESENT EVERYONE MATURE IN CHRIST. I STRIVE FOR THIS IN HIS STRENGTH WHICH WORKS POWERFULLY THROUGH ME. Colossians 1:28-29
HE takes away all there is to be afraid of, and keeps me Strong in His Righteousness. Without HIM, I am nothing. I Proclaim Him because I Want Everyone To Know Him and Be Mature in His Wisdom And Ways ! I can be bold and committed because His Strength is IN ME :). Find your Strength and Commitment in His Word. SEEK IT and watch your LIFE FLOURISH ETERNALLY IN HIM ! HIS LOVE IS EVERYTHING/JAA
I AM THE WAY AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME. John 14:6