When a hard hits, we flee to the arms of God or fall on our knees before Him, anxious and longing for His presence and promise to be with us and help us. However, as God brings resolution and healing to the situation, we tend to brush ourselves off, take a few steps back, thank Him, then meander away, smiling over our shoulder as we go.
God desires something different; a continual relationship. He wants a growing, vital relationship where both parties speak and both listen. God wants to abide with us.
Jesus calls us to “remain” in Him. (John 15:5) Remaining expresses action to stay and continue; to linger and endure. The Message interprets the relationship as “intimate and organic”.
John talks of God living in us, and we in Him. (1 John 4:15) Let that sink in:
God. Living. In us. Neon lights flash all around that concept, “Remain here. Stay with Me. Reside here. Make Me your lodging place.”
Yes, God desires intimacy. This mind-blowing reality pulls on our heart’s desires with concepts of close and personal. Warm and familiar. Deep and confidant. Full knowledge of and understanding. Descriptions of the relationship God avails to us. The Mighty God. The Lord of Angel Armies. The Great I Am. He desires intimacy with me. With you.
And yet, blinded by the Enemy, drawn by the enticements of the world, we neglect Him. We leave Him sitting beside the hearth in our hearts for days. Weeks. Too long for intimacy to deepen. Defying laws of thermodynamics, we turn cool in the heat of burning, holy love. Even becoming numb to its existence.
Also, we must remember we serve a jealous God. (Exodus 20:5; Deuteronomy 4:24). His jealous love is “fiercely protective and unaccepting of disloyalty”. He waits, jealous of our time; of our focus. Jealous of our longings and of other small gods we don’t even recognize we worship. (Hang out with Him awhile. He’ll point them out.)
As we walk this life journey from valleys to the heights and back, those mid-range paths often find us becoming lethargic. We trudge along pretty well on our own, thank you very much. We lack the urgent, deep need of a Friend and Savior we carry through the valleys. We forget the magnificent vistas and revelations of Him on the mountaintops.
Oh, that we would hang onto a passionate need of Him, all the hours of all our days. Though our path be hard or smooth, whether our world is crumbling or humming along, we must strive to maintain our focus and understanding of His extravagant love and lavish mercy and grace.
If only we would “arrange life in such a way that there is never a day when we give ourselves a chance to forget Him.” (William Barclay)
God doesn’t want more of us. He wants all of us. All the time. The privilege of being in the unceasing presence of God is a priceless treasure He has given us. Let’s grab hold of that gem and fight every foe to maintain possession of its truth.
We pray for each other:
May “the amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ,
the extravagant love of God,
the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit,
be with all of you.”
2 Corinthians 13:14; The Message
Photo by Jessica Johnston on Unsplash
