Are You Intimate with God?

What do you think of when you hear the word, “intimacy”?  Most people I’ve asked automatically associate the term with sex.  The dictionary defines it in several ways; however, I’d like to focus on the definition that says it’s a “close, familiar, and usually affectionate or loving personal relationship with another person or group”.  Is this how you would describe your relationship with God?  Are you intimate with Him?

God wants this type of relationship with us. It’s difficult for us to understand how God would even pursue this level of relationship because we often view our relationship with God the way we do our earthly relationships.  Let’s think about this for a moment.  How often have we seen this played out?  A woman and a man meet and they have a purely platonic relationship.  They still have other friends/ acquaintances and they are content with the level of relationship they have with one another.  But something happens, they get to know one another more day by day until suddenly, they move from “like”, to love and then one of them says, “I think it’s time to take our relationship to the next level”.  What does this mean?  More commitment? Exclusive time spent?  Engagement? Marriage?  Either way, the statement usually is an indication that there is a progression, a moving from one state of a relationship to another state of greater degree.  There are a great deal of people who run from this level of commitment in an earthly relationship so when it comes to progression in our relationship with God, it can be equally as difficult for those same people.

Many of you have heard the term “intimacy” broken down in this manner – “into me see”.  My husband and I do a lot of marriage counseling.  Often with people we have never met before in our lives.  At the core of each one of our many sessions is the need for intimacy in marriage relationships.  It’s an intimacy that moves beyond the bedroom and points to the fact that those in committed relationships need to open themselves up for the other person to “see into them” – meaning, no walls, no masks, just see me, – the real me. 

  • let me tell you my greatest desires,
  • let me share my dreams,
  • let me be comfortable,
  • let me be real,
  • let me tell you things about me that no one on this earth knows…

 

God wants that type of relationship with us. In the Bible, intimacy is expressed in this way: And Adam “knew” Eve, and Abraham “knew” Sarah, etc.  When this was said, it meant that these husbands consummated their relationships with their wives, or they took it to the next level!  In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for “know” is “yada” and it’s very deep in its meaning – “to perceive, understand, believe, conform, see/experience, lean, recognize and obey”  WOW…  Can we see what God is saying? Listen to Jeremiah 24:7 which says “I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.”  See what intimacy with Him can bring?  God says, “They will know me – they will perceive, understand, and believe me”.  We can have that!  We need that!

For those who dare say the Old Testament is “old fashioned”, God allowed His New Testament authors to convey His heart.  In the New Testament, the Greek term “Gnosko” is used.  It means to “go on to know”. God doesn’t want you to just get saved and stop.  He wants you to go on to know Him more.  Paul says it like this in Ephesians 3:19 in the Amplified translation: [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself].

I LOVE this version because it personifies the “go on to know” definition.  Paul says that you may REALLY come to know, for yourself who Christ is.  The type of intimacy that leaves you wholly or completely filled and flooded with God himself.

When real love enters a relationship, it really does take it to the next level.  In the beginning, I might have been okay if you called and okay if you didn’t.   Maybe I just talked to you once a week and that was cool because we were just friends or acquaintances.  But when we crossed over to the realm of love, “real love”, I want to talk to you when I wake up, when I lay down and every minute in between.  Once a week isn’t good enough, I need a daily fix of the one that’s captured my heart.   When I hear your name, I smile.  I see you in my today and my tomorrow.  I LOVE YOU!  Wonder what would happen if we would just fall in love with God.  Not just love Him, but be IN love with Him. What would happen if you really did like Deuteronomy 6:5 says “Love the Lord your God with ALL your heart and with ALL your soul and with ALL your strength.”

I want to encourage you to fall in love with God in an intimate way! Make a commitment today to take your relationship with Him to the next level.  It will truly change your life forever.

 

Peace,

Lady Al.


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