Intimacy Revisited (Tuesday)

I've shared; previously, God seems to reveal "words" - memorial stones - to me annually. These words are little clues to where God may take me and what He may teach me in the upcoming year. Listing them in the sidebar serves to remind me of the works of grace He's manifested in my life over the "recent" past. Yes, I've already sensed the word for next year. The last few months have not gone as planned (::snort::). I need to capture a few thoughts…without a lot of flowery speech. If I don't do it now, I fear I won't have life lessons captured anywhere (remember my journal and Bible were stolen).

This year, truths I've known "forever" have been made "real". Sometimes being real/authenticity hurts. Here are a few thoughts…..

Intimacy requires privacy, trust and vulnerability.

Intimacy with Christ, a daily, extravagant, genuine love relationship, is what God wants most from me and for me.

Often times of great intimacy follow times of great turmoil, unrest, instability or suffering.

Intimacy requires solitude. Luke portrays Jesus, Himself, consistently seeking out solitude. I must cultivate, set aside, time for SILENCE. Too much noise and activity in my life is the enemy of intimacy.

God wants me to pursue Him.

He pursues me and will go to great lengths to arrange my life so that I have times of solitude with Him (revisit a stolen van, a husband on a separate continent….).

Nothing else in my life is as vital as intimacy with Christ. NOTHING!

Intimacy often leads to a pruning of outside activities and relationships…as THIS relationship grows and takes over more of my attention.

We must choose carefully what/who we will become intimate with. Intimacy, of all kinds, leads to places we may not envision.

Intimacy often leads to fruitfulness….in His way and in His time.

Intimacy's heart cry, is the cry of the apostle Paul. "I count all things to be loss in view of (or comparison with) the SURPASSING VALUE OF KNOWING (being intimate with) Christ Jesus my Lord. " (Phil 3:8)

The above are a few life lessons that God has lovingly shared with me this year. I have read, rather hit and miss, Oswald Chamber's, "My Utmost for His Highest" for decades. I try to find new devotionals and always come back to this one….but as I say…rather hit and miss.

This past week, I unpacked this gem and set it by the toilet (hmmmm…. What's with this recurring toilet theme?). The last few days' readings have eloquently stated the cry of my heart in recent weeks.

"A Christian is called to be Jesus Christ's own…someone who does not dictate to Jesus Christ what he intends to do. Our Lord calls us to no special work. He calls us to Himself. 'Pray the Lord of the harvest,' and He will engineer your circumstances to send you out as His laborer." (Based on Matt 9:38)16 Oct.

"The greatest enemy of Christ is "work"…This work insists upon endless energy and activities, but no private life with God…..The central point of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ is a personal relationship with Him, not public usefulness to others."

Mr. Chambers goes on to write that the great benefit of the Bible Training College (where he taught) was not in its many Christian activities…but in allowing its students the opportunity to be "immersed in the truths of God, to soak in them before Him." (Based on Luke 17:20-21) 19 Oct.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~ Coram Deo ~
Living all of life before the face of God...