Intimacy can be scary. Into Me See. How many people do you let look into you and really see who you are?
I’m guessing not many.
God is a touchy/feely kind of God. He’s hands on. Intimate. Maybe that frightens you because you’ve been intimate with someone and been hurt. I get that. But God never mishandles our hearts. He’s gentle. Easy. Soft.
Let’s go back to Genesis–meaning beginning–to creation. I’m a God-made-the-earth-and-us kind of gal, maybe you are too. Maybe not. I believe Jesus spoke everything into existence with only a word.
“In the beginning there was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were made by Him, and nothing was made without Him.” John 1:1-3 NCV
“Him” is Jesus. The Word.
But He created Man with
His hands and His breath.
“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” Genesis 2:7 NJKV
God prepared for fellowship/intimacy with us.
God planned, prepared and proceeded to create everything Man would need to dwell on the Earth. He still plans, prepares, and proceeds with everything we need before He puts us in specific places. Not just spiritual places, but in our day to day living. If we seek His will out, we’ll find that career, job, ministry, church and the list goes on.
To be intimate you have to spend quality time with one you’re getting to know. I know what my husband is thinking most of the time. I know what he will and will not want to do. Why? Because I’ve spent hours getting to know what he likes and doesn’t.
Think of your child, if you have one. On a playground with dozens, I can pick my child’s cry or voice out of all of them, and my children know their Mama’s voice. Why? Because I know them. I’ve talked to them, listened to them. We’re bonded.
God communed with Adam and Eve. He walked with them in the Garden, brought Adam the animals to name just to marvel at what he’d call them. There was relationship. And there were a few rules.
Eve and Adam sinned. And then they hid.
After their eyes were opened they realized they were naked and immediately they hid themselves and made garments of fig leaves.
Intimacy before God means a naked heart. Vulnerable. Open. Showing every flaw.
God asked where they were. Not that He didn’t know already, but He was giving them a chance to fess up. And God’s relational. He wanted a conversation. He wanted the opportunity to show them some mercy. He could’ve wiped them off the face of the earth. But He didn’t.
He’s patient. Kind. He’s never “had it” with us. Oh, He disciplines us, but it’s because He loves us. God gave consequences to the serpent, to Adam, and to Eve. One of those consequences was, they had to leave paradise. Go out and toil, work, the whole childbirth thing which I am still a little bitter about.
He put His hands on them before He sent them out.
The first animal to ever be killed, was by God Himself–“The LORD God made clothes from animal skins for the man and his wife and dressed them.” Genesis 3:21
He knew fig leaves wouldn’t be durable or proper for the life they were about to lead.
We can’t provide for ourselves. About the best we can do alone, is dress in fig leaves.
God shows love and intimacy even in consequences.
He still wants intimacy with you and me today. He wants to breathe into us and provide for us. Commune.
He wants to wrap His arms around us, listen to us, collect our tears, wipe the eyes of our broken hearts, laugh with us, cheer us on as we make strides forward.
He wants to be on our minds when we wake, the last thought before we drift off to a peaceful rest at night. He wants to fill us with joy.
He simply wants His hands on us.
I’m hosting at Living By Grace today. I’d love for you to come by and chat about intimacy.
Why do you think people have a hard time with intimacy? With God and other people?
