Intimacy

There are several manifestations--outward evidences--of an intimate relationship with Christ. We should often examine our lives to see where we stand, to see if we have inadvertently damaged our intimacy with Him. Am I claiming to love Him while at the same time holding Him at arms length? The first evidence is the obvious one: am I becoming more and more like Christ? And that is not accomplished through spiritual busyness. It is accomplished through total dependence on Him and the maintaining of the avenues of communication--Bible study and prayer. Bible study is the cleansing agent in my life, the agency used by the Holy Spirit to transform me. Prayer is the act of submission in my life, the giving of all things into His hands to do as He sees fit. Father does know best. If I have an intimate relationship with Him, the Word will be encouraging and convicting me, and I will be seeing answered prayer. A second evidence of intimacy is joy. No matter what the circumstances I will have a sense--sometimes unexplainable--that everything will be all right in His timing. And that everything that has already happened will be to His glory and my good as well. No matter how deep the sorrow or how chaotic and impossible the future appears to be, there is a joyous song resonating in my heart at all times. The third evidence of intimacy is love. I have a deep sense of His love for me, a life of loving obedience for Him, and a compassionate love for all those around me. All of that love originates from a deeper understanding of His all-sufficient grace.
So, how deep is my relationship with Him? How did my "examination" go? Have I drifted from His embrace. Then, I need to open up the lines of communication, express through my life my submission to His will through the control of the Holy Spirit. I need to let my life resonate His life, overflow with His joy, and embrace His love. That's the abundant life the Lover of my soul wants me to experience every day.