I thought a lot about how often intimacy with God should occur, or if there is really a "set number of times" at all. Josh (fellow Timmy) told me about how he looks at his relationship with Jesus as a marriage relationship. The way I see it is, marriage relationships are consistently intimate (hopefully), in the way you live, act and speak. There are also very intentionally intimate times such as going on a date, or ... enjoying the benefits of marriage...
I also connected it to a Monday teaching that Stuart gave us on the living water. The living water should be constantly flowing through you, it is not something that you should have to continuously go back to and pull from little bits at a time because it is IN YOU and flowing FROM YOU.
I came to the conclusion that intimacy with God in my definition looks a lot like that. It's something that is constantly lived out, and there are also several moments where you are intentionally setting aside a time alone, in your secret place, to be with the Father.
What does intimacy really look like for me to live out?
Well, I'm still running after that. Things I know as of now:
- Privacy
- Comfort
- Joy
- Response from either me or God or both.
- Knowledge
Knowledge...that's an entirely different deal on it's own. Satan loves to tell me that I do not know God's desires, or his will. But I pull myself out by remembering the scriptures. They are living, breathing, loving desires of the Father. Therefor, what is more intimate then knowing each other's heart? I know God already knows mine, much better than I do. So I have decided to really dig deeper into knowing Scripture, through different methods. A lot of people can just read and really absorb information...I can't.
I've been typing out the book of John this morning and it's already turning into something really beautiful. I feel like I'm reading a brand new story I've never heard, just because I'm absorbing more in my method of studying it.
One thing that I am really focusing hard on this summer is absorbing my giftings. Soaking them in and inviting God to be a part of that. Understanding how my gifts combined with who I was made to be individually can be used to advance the kingdom. Defining intimacy for myself as an individual is just one step closer to the finish line.
