1 “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. 2 I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. 3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.” ~ Psalm 63:1-3
The ultimate expectation of God posses a unique problem for mankind in that it calls for complete intimacy with God. The word “intimacy” is the catch phrase which holds a sacred meaning to God which we as mortal beings have misunderstood, and have placed an entirely different meaning too. In some instances it is best to go back to a more elementary view and rebuild form their. So in the spirit of this idea the basic definition as it is defined by Dictionary.com which refers to the word “intimacy” as: ” 2. a close, familiar, and usually affectionate or loving personal relationship with another person or group.” Found online at Dictionary.com Within this definition we find that as people we can have intimate relationships with many other people over the course of our life. In this context “intimacy” is something more than just a sexual relationship, which is what our modern society has redefined this word as meaning, i.e.“Lust, Sex, and Perversion which leads to and binds us in sin.” Our children are confused when they see two people becoming intimate outside of this more shallow and crude meaning of the word, and they do not understand that as human beings we can develop deep emotional feelings and bonds with our friends and relatives without the element of sex being involved. This completely frustrates not just our own sensibilities and tricks us into thinking we should develop a sexual relationship with everyone who we have these deep feelings for, but also frustrates our relationship with God. As seen in Psalms 63:1-3 King David was not seeking a sexual relationship with God but rather a more and complete; deeper understanding of God the Father. David was thrusting for the love of God, for His divine embrace, a spiritual connection with God, not a physical one. Therefore, within our relationships with other people it is not shameful to love a friend, feel a deep intimacy for them because in reality what you are expressing is a deep inner connection and understanding of them and they in you. This is exactly the relationship God is seeking to have with you as well. Moreover, in most biblical writing the word “intimacy” is used often and in most places it is not describing a sexual relationship. Consequently, it is in this context, one outside of sexual bonds we will explore the word “intimacy” and thus find its true meaning and should not be confused with a relationship of the flesh, one that excites human senses of touch and smell, (which are only on the surface), lighting the lustful desires within, but rather a relationship which ignites the heart and soul, (which can only be felt from within), and creates the passions and thrust of seeking more knowledge and a significantly more satisfying relationship God.
What You Can Expect
Most of the time we fall to this lassie or lackadaisy relationship with God praying only when we are in trouble or in great need. We call on Him when there is nothing left for us to do, and thus fall to the sin of pride. Most of the time we refuse to humble ourselves and give our problems to God as we have become convinced what can God do if he is not here with me right this very minute. We give up to a false reality, false doctrine that God is absent, or doesn’t care about our insignificant problems and thus will not help us even if we do pray to Him. With our faith diminished and our courage dissolved we become vulnerable to doubt and to Satan’s perverse message that we are alone and that our God is a cruel, unforgiving, selfish, angry, hateful God. In this despair we can expect God to want to help but because we have distanced ourselves from Him God is unable to reach out to us thus He is must wait for us to reach out and grab hold of His mighty hand once more. God uses others in our lives to accomplish this but even before that small gesture can happen we must become still and complacent understanding the serenity of God and let it fill our hearts and souls. You can expect God to long after you, as it was Him who placed the thirst within your heart to know completely His perfect divine will. God seeks to be ever present in your life, He seeks for you to know the truth about Him, to join Him in heaven for all eternity. God so wants an intimate relationship with you, and if you first accept this truth you can expect God to answer you when you pray.
“4 I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. 5 I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.” ~ Psalm 63:4-5
We so long to be completely satisfied in our hearts and in our minds. We as mortal people thirst for passion and love, and often confuse love with sinful acts of the flesh. We are so easily tempted into thinking how honoring God would turn us into slaves forever bent to do only what he wants. But King David raised his hands to God, sang beautiful songs about God, and had this burning in his heart for God. David found the exact opposite of what he expected when he finally and joyfully accepted God fully. Instead of a repressive God, David found a God that freed him of all his sins through forgiveness and mercy. David through this freeing of his sins became closer to God, and became completely honest with God, which is the truest expression of an intimate relationship with not just God but with other people, the ability to be completely honest holding back nothing and keeping no secrets. In fact David found it impossible to have an intimate relationship with God or any one else without being completely exposed. King David found his full and complete satisfaction within God which was more valuable to him than that of the richest of food, or money, which instantly transcends the human soul into the stratosphere as we soar higher and higher in the glory of God, free as a bird. Thus, it was so that even King David at first could not have expected this from God we in more modern times, a people who have vastly more possessions than did David, we can not at first expect this intimacy with God until we too let go of the possessions and belongs of this Earth.
The Truth About Relationships
To say that you love someone each time you see them does not instantly mean that you love them. Because the word “love” is more than just a word, it is also action. Jesus said that God loves us, it is written in the Bible in countless places on numerous pages of how much God loves us. Yet saying within our prayers that we love God in return without the action of listening faithfully to his words after you have prayed, the action of living a life which is devoted to the improvement of all who surrounds you, (which includes your enemies as much as it includes your loved ones), the actions that illustrate your growing thirst for God and the putting your time and devotion for God on display is the actions that give meaning to your words. You can not have an intimate relationship with God if you are in rebellion, in fact you can not have a relationship with anyone if you are in rebellion against them or they being in rebellion against you. This most elementary understanding of relationships is rooted in the amount of time you devote to that relationship. It is an oxymoron to say that you love God, but refuse to bow before Him, to spend time listening to Him, and devoting your time to living His will within your life which is reflected in your daily routine of progressive actions which illustrates your love of God. The same can be said in your friendship and in your relationship with your spouse or children. The love you hold for them is not just in your words, but also found within your actions and the time you spend with them, proving your love and devotions daily, if not in some aspects even by the hour or minute. If you hold secrets from those whom you say that you love, it is an unrealistic expectation on your behalf to have those people in your life for the long haul, because through secrets, come deception and these two things are not of God, nor are elements of an intimate relationship, because you do not deceive those that you profess to love. Consequently, God your father, the most supreme of all things in creation, the beloved creator of this earth and everything within it, the one who grants you life, the one who grants you each and every breath that you breathe, the one who allows you to behold His slender through His creations, the arctitect of the Universe, Our God, Our Holy Father wants to have a relationship an intimate relationship with you because this is the true purpose of your exsisentce. In light of this who are we then to say that we do not have time for God? How insulting those words, those actions must be to God? How insulting are they when others reject you? Instead of leading a life of loneliness and despair how much more satisfying would it be to pray the following prayer to God and to take the time to listen to His words speaking back to your heart?
” 1 Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust. 2 O my soul, you have said to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord, My goodness is nothing apart from You.’ 3 As for the saints who are on the earth, ‘They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.’ 4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god; Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, Nor take up their names on my lips. 5 O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. 6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance. 7 I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons. 8 I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. 10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” ~ Psalm 16: 1-11
The Ultimate Expectation any person can have if they seek to have a personal, intimate, relationship with God is ever lasting life, consider this;
” 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.” ~ John 10:27-28
Jesus gives His children eternal life, He calls to everyone to put down your sin, your rebellion, to walk with Him through thick or thin, better or worse, richer or poor, Jesus promised no more pain and suffering, but rather a heart filled with love, peace, understanding, forgiveness, redemption, grace, mercy, and more love through an intimate relationship with Him. God proved His love for us through action, through Jesus who willingly died so that you could have everlasting life with God the father forever. There is no more need to earn His forgiveness which He has freely given to you, but rather your action is to become humble, ask for forgiveness, and believe in God. Your action of obedience to His perfect will of living a life centered on God, is your legacy. Your relationship with God should never be a distant one, it should never wane as God’s love does not decline in you.
” 27 He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but the One who sent Me.” ~ John 12:44
Thus rejoice in the knowledge of our God who loves you, and seeks an intimate relationship with you. Abide in His ways and He will give you eternal life.
Amen
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