Friday, October 18, 2013

Intimacy With God and Man - part VI

How do we pursue intimacy with God?

Spend Time Together
How does a person spend time with someone who is not physically present?

With God, we can spend time in prayer and meditation. God says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me.” (Rev 3:20). How precious is the vulnerability of our God in this scripture!?! He opens Himself up to be invited in! This is a scripture that can be understood by the unsaved person as an invitation to salvation, but also applies to the one who is currently in relationship with God. He is saying that He desires to spend time with us – to be in our life. He is not forceful and demanding. But if we desire time with Him, He is eager to have that time with us. 

We can also spend time in worship because God is present when His people praise Him. “Yet, you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.” (Psalm 22:3GWT). When we praise, God is present. “Christian praise and worship can be one of the most powerful ways to help you build your relationship with God. There is nothing better than feeling the love, peace, and acceptance of God's presence all around you.” – Karen Wolf

Most importantly, we can also spend time with God as we go about our daily routines: aware of His presence and talking with Him as we encounter the events of our day. God is always with us (John 14:16&17a) so we can be aware that He is spending time with us throughout the day and “tune in” to His presence. In the book The Practice of the Presence of God, Brother Lawrence is quoted as saying, “He does not ask much of us, merely a thought of Him from time to time, a little act of adoration, sometimes to ask for His grace, sometimes to offer Him your sufferings, at other times to thank Him for the graces, past and present, He has bestowed on you, in the midst of your troubles to take solace in Him as often as you can. Lift up your heart to Him during your meals and in company; the least little remembrance will always be the most pleasing to Him. One need not cry out very loudly; He is nearer to us than we think.”

 

Amen

No comments:

Post a Comment