Intimacy

       You can spend your entire life married to the same person.  In fact, there’s a couple I know who just celebrated their 70^th wedding anniversary. (Yes, really 70 years!)  That is a divine miracle in more than one way.  We can look at them and wonder how they made it so long- they must really love each other or be really committed- but I’m sure there are many factors. 

       I’ve considered couples married from day one to over fifty years, and have determined length of marriage is no indicator of intimacy in marriage.  You can stay with someone because you love them and yet not feel the intimacy that makes a quality marriage so strong and alive.  It is a lack of intimacy that ultimately drives many couples apart.  The word intimacy has several synonyms:  familiarity, closeness, understanding, relationship, confidence.

    Familiarity- knowledge learned or experienced life.  This is often the easiest to achieve.

    Closeness- nearness and contact.  This usually improves over time- until children arrive.

    Understanding- sympathetic, considerate, thoughtful, kind… We spend a lifetime doing this.

    Relationship- connection, bond, tie, friendship with a person.  Something always needing work on.

    Confidence- assurance, trust, faith, expectation.  Without at least some amounts of these a marriage

     will not last.

       Many of us work hard to improve our marriages by going to seminars, reading books, learning from friends and family, listening to teachers etc. and we should continue to work at it.  If we want true intimacy in our marriages, we have to put some time and effort into it.  But do we ever expend that much effort and time on improving our intimacy with God?

       If you want intimacy with Him, you have to make effort towards that end.  Or maybe you are content just to say you love Him without wanting or needing to be closer or more familiar to Him; without really knowing and feeling connected to Him; without full confidence in Him and expecting closeness to Him.  It might be survivable to live that way, but it will never be the abundant living you desire.

These scriptures say to love (agapao) the Lord your God.

    -with all (the whole of) your heart, soul, mind and strength

    -walk in all his ways, serve him and to cleave (cling or adhere like glue) unto him;

       (Deut. 11:13,22; 13:3; Josh. 22:5; 23:11; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27; Matt. 22:37)

If you humble yourself and draw near to Him, He will draw near to you. (Jam. 4:8)

Do you want more intimacy with God?

God certainly wants more intimacy with you.