Having An Intimate Relationship with God

 I know we do not use the word "intimate" when we refer to our relationship with God, since it has physical connotations in English. However, I believe it is a great word that really communicates how we should relate to God.  To be intimate is to understand everything about another person because that person has opened themselves up fully to us. That way, we know everything about how they think and feel. 

God told Amos to use this word to describe His relationship with His people. (Amos 3:2) God said, "From among all the families of the earth, I have been intimate with you alone. That is why I punish you for all your sins." Intimacy has it positive benefits as well as it negative consequences. We need to consider this today.

God knows us perfectly well, and He comes to us to draw us into a close relationship with Him. Once we trust Jesus as Lord and Savior, we walk and talk with God all of the time. Or, at least we should meet with Him every day, so we know Him better and better. He will show us what pleases Him and what He hates. Then, we can know just what to do to stay close to Him and be in the center of His will.

Therefore, when we do the wrong things, He knows that we know Him better than that. It hurts Him badly for one of His intimate ones to forsake Him, so He has to punish us for all of our sins. This is not to harm us, but to get us to stop sinning and come back to Him. He wants us to restore our intimate relationship, whatever it takes.

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Tomorrow, I intend to read Amos 4-6.