In a previous post, I stressed the importance of intimacy. Love craves intimacy. To state more precisely, God craves and treasures an intimate relationship with you!

Intimate relationships with family and friends are designed to fulfill us; intended to spark joy and peace. These bonds secure a familiarity and invite a rest and a freedom to be ourselves. More importantly, they provide the reassurance that we’re loved.

This is the very experience God has in mind when He calls us into intimacy with Him.

Friend, the message behind the Cross is the heart message of Father God: I want all of you! Jesus willfully laid down His life to offer us that kind of intimate relationship with God.

This is a love relationship that offers an uninhibited union that is beyond measure!

Say this: God wants all of me!

The activity of relationship is far from a religious practice. It is an engagement to encounter–a time set apart to experience God loving us. It involves our focus on His attention on us. Did you get that? We have His 100 percent, ’round the clock attention. We get to taste and see just how good He is (Psalm 34:8).

As we drink deeply and are filled, the world sees and feels the overflow of the life of God within us.

Sadly, the world doesn’t always witness this overflow. I do believe it is because many believers don’t put a priority on this intimate relationship. We get busy participating in life as a human doing, rather than a human being. We all need to first get back to our first love and practice being in His Presence.

Don’t get me wrong, there are things we all have to attend to.  But when our spiritual lives suffer and we fall into pits that possibly could have been avoided, it’s probably an indication that our priorities have gone askew.

However, God is calling us to prioritize intimacy and to behold the beauty that drew us to Him in the first place.

Intimacy is where Holy Spirit offers His very best: revelation download! When our inner man is continually filled with His Spirit, a wellspring of life exudes from us onto others. He reminds us that we belong, that we are loved, and that we are complete in Him.

We need not be fearful or shy away from this kind of relationship. He will never bash us, but He will shine a light on areas that may be keeping us away from His perfect will.

I want that perfect will for my life. I always want to feel His love and be reminded of how He values me. I want Him to hear my praises for He is great and greatly to be praised.

This is the essence of relationship.

I want Holy Spirit to reveal my assignments with clarity so that my passions and God-given gifts are used well and purposeful in making His name known.

This is the excellence of intimacy.

When we return to our first love and honor and enjoy relationship with Him, the work we do will give awesome evidence to time well spent with God.

First Corinthians 12 reminds us that we are all one body but many members with differing gifts and ministries. Regardless of your station, we are called to the mission of Kingdom building.

However, we cannot do it productively without spending time with Him first (see John 15:5).

Be stirred with renewed passion to cultivate and take pleasure in your intimate relationship with God. May your encounter be a sweet engagement!