All types of intimacy take effort and time to cultivate. Intimacy does not happen by accident and there will always be a price to pay for it.

The price may be making time for it when we are too busy with other things, making it our priority when other plans tug at us.

Intimacy is not only in a sexual context, but rather a deeper level of connection with another person. There is intimacy in our relationships with family members, friends or loved ones. How much more do you think God wants that type of relationship with us? A relationship that puts Him first before anything or anyone.

“No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15, English Standard Version)

Jesus changes the level of relationship with us, we are no longer called servants but a friend.

This level of relationship means that there is a level of intimacy with Him, as well. A servant does not know many personal things about his master, but a friend knows everything about his friend. A true friend knows when you are sad, even though you say you are fine. A friend knows when you are hurting and when you are happy — this is the level of intimacy God wants to have with us.

We should want this intimacy with God, as well. Wanting this level of relationship with God will take commitment and thoughtfulness to do.

It is interesting how we see many men and women in the Bible who had an intimate relationship with God; there was Abraham who God calls his friend, there was David who was a man after God’s heart, Mary and Martha who were friends of Jesus and many others. What did they have in common?

They knew God on a personal level
They all had to pay a price for this level of relationship
They all had a revelation of their own flaws.

Out of the three mentioned above, the third made me pause to reflect. For many of us, the thought of being closer to God means being blessed and worry-free. Although this is true (we are blessed when we have intimacy with God), we overlook the idea that the same intimacy makes us face our flaws.

The more we seek God and the closer we get to Him, we see our need of Him in our lives. Many times, when I have decided to initiate a closer walk with Him and I start praying and fasting to receive my miracle or my blessing, I have noticed that the first thing God starts revealing to me is my need for Him. My need to change things in my life. In no way should this discourage us from seeking more of Him. On the contrary, it goes to show us our true need for a more intimate relationship with our God. Because love is not selfish, when we love God and desire more of Him, our desires change from wanting something from Him to desiring to give Him something.

Remember intimacy will cost a price but the blessings we will receive from intimacy are far beyond the price we will pay. For God paid the ultimate price for love, He gave his only Son in order for us to have this intimacy with our savior.

“And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23, ESV)

Intimacy with God