Developing Spiritual Intimacy

Intimacy is the word we use to describe a relationship that has developed into the deepest
caverns of trust whereby both parties involved confide one to the other openly. The
secrets that once were carefully guarded now lay naked without fear of reprisal or regret
because the most important aspect is trust. Trust only comes by truth and truth can only
be conveyed through experiences of faith tested. It is if, you give out sections of yourself
withholding weightier matters until love’s faithfulness is proven. For instance I don’t just
walk up to a total stranger and pour out my heart; it would be foolish to give the personal
details of my life to someone who might exploit me. Rather in the beginning, I test the
love with tidbits of truth that cannot bring me personal harm or hurt. As the relationship
grows and the trust factor increases I give out more of myself. As long as the trust goes
without violation the deeper the intimacy, the more personal secrets are shared.
Understanding, this sharing is a two way exchange both parties are exposing their inner
person as trust progresses. The deepest intimacy comes when there is a trust so strong
that one can totally confide in the other.
I have found that intimacy with God is not so different. New facets of God’s personality
are revealed to us as we grow to trust the portions He has allowed us access. For instance
we know God is holy, and as we embrace the understanding of holiness with a real
reverence for holding to that standard; God will in fact entrust us with another facet of
His being. This is hard for us to understand because we all think we know so much of
God. It is evident from the scriptures however that there is so much more for us to know
if we will but pass the test of trust. If we can be trusted with what we already know of
God, He will confide in us as friends the more intimate details of Himself.
If we want to know more of God, if we want a deeper relationship with Him, then it
stands to reason that we must be able to withstand testing to what we already know. Ask
yourself if you are being trustworthy with what you already know of God. If you know
God hates sin, do you let sin have place in your life? If you know God loves sinners, are
you open in sharing your love for God to those who are under sin’s hold? What I am
saying is do we hold in reverence the things we know of God now? Are we obedient to
the scriptures as we know them?
Don’t get this wrong; as some are prone to do, I am not a legalist that adheres to living
under the law. I am quick to let anyone know that apart from Jesus all my efforts are
filthy rags. No this is about demonstrating our love by passionately serving the God who
has entrusted us with the tasks of sharing His love. It is about living up to the trust. It is
about knowing that we are more when we are surrendered to the Holy Spirit’s leading
than ever we would be on our own. But that is the point – are we surrendered? Do we
trust the Holy Spirit’s guiding? Can we be tested in that trust? How far are we willing to
follow the Holy Spirit’s leading? Our failure to live in the trust we are given is often the
reason we are not experiencing deeper intimacy in our spiritual walk.
Jesus demonstrated the changing patterns in relationships as He shared with His disciples.
In John 15:14-15 “You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you
servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called
you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” In
this verse Jesus makes it clear that obedience is connected with friendship even as it is
with a servant but there is a distinction between the servant and friend; a friend knows his
master’s business. In other words a servant is given portions or sections of the master’s
business in the form of orders. To a servant it is not reveled the fullness of the master’s
business. As servants we only see part of what God really wants to show us. These
disciples were once referred to as servants. The change to friends does not lift the burden
of obedience instead there is special emphasis added to obey because you are friends.
Notice that Jesus is reveling more of Himself to the disciples by divulging everything He
has learned of His Father’s business.
This matter is not specific to the New Testament as there are many examples of God
showing a deeper side of Himself in the Old Testament to those He called friends. His
secrets were made known to those He could trust, to those that would fear Him. “The
Lord confides in those who fear Him;” Psalm 24:14.
I could go on and on about how the relationship works, and in the end I would still have
people ask how do I get more intimate with God? The answer is clear if we want to
develop intimacy with God we need to hold in high regard the things we already know.
We need to be faithful, trusting God no matter what the circumstances are speaking into
our lives. We need to honor God with time and effort and show ourselves trustworthy to
what He has shown us. It is important for us to remember that our relationship with God
is a two way street both parties in the relationship will share more intimate details of
themselves as they develop trust. Sometimes we tend to think of this as being one-sided
and we stop looking for new aspects of God. If you want to be called friends of God be
obedient to God and do His business.