Intimacy with God is so important and needed in our relationship with God. It is all about knowing Jesus. Everything else flows from our abiding in Him.
Our Intimacy with God
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you…
James 4:8
What does intimacy with God mean? Intimate means to be close, to draw near, as opposed to being far and distant. So how close are we willing to get to the Lord? We know this is what He wants. But how far are we willing to go. To go even deeper, what are the things that keep us back from intimacy with Him. What are the things that are displeasing to Him?
The Center of Our Worship
Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; ‘For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation. Therefore with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation.
Isaiah 12:2-3
Do we get closer to God just because we cut off various activities? No. The real issue is where we get our life, what well do we drink from, what do we value? If we value God, we will spend time with Him and carry Him into our daily activities. If you are a football fanatic, everything you do revolves around football. If you are a Jesus fanatic, then everything you do revolves around Him. The issue is who is at the center of your activities, not the abstinence of activities. In other words, what gets in the way of your communion with God? What works for you and what does not work for you? It is not always the same for every person. What is the object or person of our worship? Whoever or whatever that is will determine the way we engage in the activity and interactions of life. This is the ultimate measure of what we value, worship and venerate.
No Artificial Light Needed
The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.
Revelation 21:23
When Jesus becomes the center of our lives, then everything revolves around Him. Because we are bonkers for Jesus, everything is subject to His desires. He becomes the Light within us. We overcome throgh abiding in Christ. There is no need for artificial light because His light is true light. When our lives are engaged in communion with His Spirit the light of His pleasure is deposited with us. When this is the case all things that are not His desire come into conflict with the light He has put inside of us. Therefore, if we do something that is not pleasing to Him it is not because we checked the list of things we were not supposed to do, but rather feel that the His Holy Spirit is upset within us. This is how we live from the inside out, rather than by a list or laws. This is how we live a life before God in genuine relationship for His pleasures. We should continue elevating our intimacy with God.