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| Intimacy With God Zephania 3:17 |
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"Don�t move quickly through that verse (Zeph. 3:17). Read it again and prepare yourself for a surprise�� Note who is active and who is passive. Who is singing and who is resting? Who is rejoicing over his loved one, and who is being rejoiced over? We tend to think we are the singers and God is the �singee.� Most certainly that is often the case. But apparently there are times when God wishes we would just be still and (what a stunning thought!) let him sing over us. I can see you squirming. You say you aren�t worthy of such affection? Neither was Judas, but Jesus washed his feet. Neither was Peter, but Jesus fixed him breakfast. Neither were the Emmaus-bound disciples, but Jesus took time to sit at their table. Besides, who are we to determine if we are worthy? Our job is simply to be still long enough to let him have us and let him love us." --Max Laccado, Just Like Jesus As women who live in a world that assaults our self esteem on every side, we often fall into agreement with our adversary who wants us to believe we can not ever measure up to Christ�s expectations and we fall short of the relationship Christ desires to have with us. I went through a period in my life where I felt so disappointed with God for a prayer I did not feel He had answered in a way I expected and in the timing I expected Him to do it in that I held a grudge against God. Who do you think was injured by this, me or God? We both were, because God desires an intimate relationship with us and there are many ways we can fall short of that desired relationship. We must be on guard of the wiles of the enemy so he does not rob us of what is rightfully ours. I am going to share with you some common pitfalls we fall into that cause us to miss the mark and some steps that are needful to maintain intimacy. For the sake of familiarity I am going to help you see your relationship with Christ paralleled with your relationship with the man God has brought into your life to walk with. Remember, we are the bride of Christ and throughout His word God relates Christ�s relationship with the church as a marriage relationship. (Feel free to print this off and use as a study guide.) Intimacy with God --study guide 1. Psalms 139:23-24 Open up the lines of communication w/God through honesty--desire to know if there is any thing (attitude, sin of omission, unforgiveness, etc) that would hinder your intimate relationship with Him. 2. II Cor. 10:4-5 Guard your thought life against any thought pattern that would harm your walk with your Savior (This is the one I related earlier from my own life. How would it effect your relationship with your spouse if you dwelt on every negative thought that came into your mind? 3. Psalms 4:4 When you are in bed at night, do you worry about unpaid bills, fear the unknown, get depressed over loneliness, or lust in your heart for things Godhas called sin? (�Don�t count sheep, talk to the shepherd�) 4. Psalms 100:4 What would it do to your intimacy with your spouse if you greeted them at the end of the work day with all the problems of the day or your request list of all that you demand of them? We need to allow God to know we love and long to spend time with Him just as we need to greet our spouses when we come together after being apart. 5. Luke 10:38-42 All other things are temporal but Jesus said time spent at His feet learning and worshiping is not only a good thing but it is needed! 6. Luke 21:1-4 When you go beyond giving out of duty or surplus to giving out of your need, it is an intimate act of worship that tells God you trust Him to be your provider. 7. Matt. 25:35-45 How do we treat those God cares about? Are we concerned enough to be the hands attached to God�s heart? Oneness of purpose brings intimacy. 8. Philippians 2:1-4 How do we treat God�s family? What would it do to the intimacy in your relationships if you treated your in-laws badly, always talked bad about them, or neglected family members your spouse loves dearly? 9. I John 2:3-5 When we listen to our husbands and respect his wishes it will only enhance our intimacy--It is the same with God! * The Creator of the Universe desires intimate worship with each of us. How can I give myself more fully to Him today? How can I encourage someone else in their intimate relationship with Christ? We are each members of each other in the Body of Christ. Lets be a people of worship toward God and love toward our brothers and sisters. Let us press in and break down every barrier that would separate us from the relationship that God so desires to have with us. Let us always walk in love toward our God, our brothers and sisters and the world we come into contact with every day so when we see Him face to face He will say �Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.� Mat 25:21 |
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