INTIMACY WITH GOD

12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

Sometimes God may seem far away. In those moments, we might wonder how personally involved in our lives He actually is. At such times, we should rely on what the Lord Himself has said in Scripture.

Psalms 139:13-17 says that the Lord knit us together in the womb and loves us with an unconditional love. We also know that He plans to prosper us spiritually (Phil. 1:6). These truths confirm that our Father knows us intimately and loves us deeply.

The life of Jesus Christ further testifies to the divine desire for intimacy. He consistently reached out to strangers, inviting them to draw near to Him. He spoke words of encouragement to His disciples and other followers and taught them the profound truths that He’d received from His Father (John 7:16). He held them accountable for their actions. He invited certain ones to accompany Him for deeply personal experiences, such as the transfiguration and His last prayer retreat to the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 9:2; Matt. 26:36-37). These are all indications of real friendship.

Jesus’ final act—dying on the cross—made it possible for us to join His “inner circle” as a part of the family of God. The Holy Spirit, each believer’s indwelling companion and guide, also witnesses to God’s closeness and detailed knowledge of those who are His.

God has made intimacy with Him possible. Yet, all too often we hold back. Distracted by earthly concerns, we put limits on His involvement in our lives. Let’s commit to pursuing the Lord with all of our hearts (Mark 12:30).

InTouch Ministries