Spiritual Intimacy

"Be still, and know that I am God." Psalms 46:10

“Draw near to God and he will draw near to you…” James 4:8

You can be locally present yet very far away (as when we’re in the presence of the compulsive talker!). Relationships aren’t made by people being together, but by people sharing their personalities. A good marriage isn’t the result of two people actively, even aggressively, cohabiting, but of two people sharing their most intimate experiences (physical, emotional, spiritual).

The Bible uses the term “covenant” 298 times referring to God’s relationship with us and vice versa. Initially, in the Old Testament (the Old Covenant) a relationship with God is understood as a legal covenant: the concept of covenants the desert sheikhs made with one another. God knew we were missing the point. He knew a real relationship only grows out of love. So He introduced the New Covenant (the New Testament) in which He shows His limitless Love for us by becoming one of us and dying on the cross for us.

Many of us are sincerely seeking a relationship with God but are still functioning in the Old Covenant mode: we’re working hard at doing certain things, going certain places, accomplishing certain Christian goals, etc. It’s a form of spiritual score-keeping. That doesn’t work. You’ll forever be frustrated, and confused:

“But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from law…the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction; since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,…. For we hold that a man is justified by faith apart from works of law.” Romans 3:21-31

“Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1

Romancing by appointment has benefits, but romancing as a spontaneous outburst of two hearts interacting is much more meaningful. There’s something to be said for setting aside a specific time of day everyday for prayer and devotion, but don’t underestimate the explosive value of stopping multiple times throughout your day “when the spirit moves you” and meditating “on the spot”---stopping in the midst of it all, focusing on God’s Presence, focusing on the Interaction of the Holy Spirit, and reading a brief portion of Scripture (either in a Bible or devotional).

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

Frequent, spontaneous, meditation will increase intimacy with God! Try it, you’ll like it!

Blessing Always In All Ways,

Steve
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The Void - Jonah Part II

“But Jonah was afraid to go, and ran away from the Lord. He went down to the seacoast, to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket, went on board, and climbed down into the dark hold of the ship to hide there from the Lord.

“When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God repented of the evil which he had said he would do to them; and he did not do it. But it displeased Jonah exceedingly,

“And the Lord God appointed a plant, and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm which attacked the plant, so that it withered. When the sun rose, God appointed a sultry east wind, and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah so that he was faint; and he asked that he might die, and said, ‘It is better for me to die than to live.’ " Jonah 1:3;3:10; 4:1,6-8 (Living Bible)

Each of us reading this Bread is serious about a relationship with God. But answer to yourself truthfully…deep down within you, is there a void at times?

From yesterday’s Bread you remember Jonah’s call and his reluctance to go to Nineveh to preach. He was like us. He was a guy who wanted a relationship with God. He was a guy who in fact had a relationship with God. He was serious about his commitment to God. He was like us. But deep within him was a “missing link.” Deep within him was an empty space where he retreated to avoid God upon occasion.

Although you’re serious about your relationship with God, do you have an empty spot deep within you? Do you upon occasion question God’s existence? Do you at times wonder about His Love for you? Do you find yourself doubting? If so, it doesn’t make us less a Christian, it simply confirms our humanness. The test for our bonding with God isn’t in the absence of doubts, or fears, or questions, or feeling desolate: our bonding with God is in our commitment despite our feelings. Jonah stuck with it---even when God embarrassed Jonah by changing His mind about how He would deal with Nineveh, even when God caused worms to destroy Jonah’s tent, even when God brought strong winds and dry sun upon Jonah. These things didn’t make sense to Jonah, but he stuck with God and God blessed him.

It’s so easy to confuse our feelings of doubt, of anger, of loneliness, etc. with lack of faith. Our negative feelings won’t keep us from experiencing God, but our lack of commitment will.

Let’s focus not on our feelings, let’s focus on our commitment: therein is our eternal bond.

Blessing Always In All Ways,

Steve
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When It Isn’t Going Your Way

“But Jonah was afraid to go and ran away from the Lord. He went down to the seacoast, to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket, went on board, and climbed down into the dark hold of the ship to hide there from the Lord.” LVB Jonah 1:3

Most likely everyone reading this Bread knows the story of Jonah. How God called him to go to the city of Nineveh to preach. But Jonah was afraid, and ran, by boarding a ship out to sea.

When a terrible storm arose, the crew threw him overboard to save themselves. The seas immediately calmed, and God sent a huge fish which saved Jonah’s life by swallowing him thus giving Jonah a safe place to exist until he got to shore. While in the safe harbor of the fish, Jonah thanked God and reaffirmed his commitment to God. Then the Lord ordered the fish to spit Jonah upon the dry shore.

When Jonah landed safely on the dry beach, who was waiting for him? You bet ya’ : the Lord! And God commanded Jonah for a second time to go to Nineveh and preach.

Jonah did, but things didn’t go the way he expected. He became very frustrated. When things don’t go the way we want them to, don’t we get frustrated? We even get to the point Jonah was at and want to say, “I beg you, take my life, for death is better than what’s happening to me!” (Jon. 4:8). Getting frustrated is human. God never promises we’ll get what we want. In fact, more times than not we’d be worse off if we did! God doesn’t promise we will avoid the valleys; rather, He promises, “I will go through the valley with you” (“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.” Ps 23:40). He doesn’t promise times will be easy, or even good, but rather that He will be there with us (“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken;… 2 Corinthians 4:8-9)(“…for he has said, ‘I will never fail you nor forsake you.’ " Heb. 13:5).

Things may not be going as planned. That could be a good thing. Whether or not it is a good thing, God will certainly turn it into a good thing! Our job is to stay centered upon God through the Risen Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. He’ll handle it from there.

Blessing Always In All Ways,

Steve
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“I’m Right!”

“If you profit from constructive criticism you will be elected to the wise men's hall of fame. But to reject criticism is to harm yourself and your own best interests. Humility and reverence for the Lord will make you both wise and honored…. Pride leads to arguments; be humble, take advice and become wise. Pride goes before destruction and haughtiness before a fall. Better poor and humble than proud and rich.

God blesses those who obey him; happy the man who puts his trust in the Lord.”

Proverbs 15:31-33;13:10; 16:18-20 (respectively)(Living Bible)

As a child, I had to take correction form my parents. I hate to confess it, but I remember a time or two I actually chose to do things I was told not to do (thus, the power of “Reverse Psychology”). I remember sometimes feeling upset…sometimes frustrated…sometimes angry that I was corrected. I was doing something a certain way for my own reasons. I’m not stupid! In school, I received papers back from my instructors with corrections made and my work was given a value that reflected my errors. Sometimes the corrective remarks were even written in bright red ink, (was that just to rub salt in the wound!?). Correction didn’t always feel good.

I’ve grown through the years. I’ve learned a lot, both through formal schooling, formal training and through the “school of hard knocks.” When I take a position on something these days, I feel it’s well positioned, well thought-out, and…well…to be honest, I believe it’s right! Hummmm…kind da’ brings back memories of my childhood.

Are you getting the point? I mean, at times my spouse disagrees with me! Sometimes my children have different opinions! My supervisor even challenges me! The frustrating thing is, they also believe they are right! How do resolve this dilemma? The answer: Jesus Christ and the Holy Scriptures.

The right way is God’s way…not your way…not my way. We are only right when we are endorsing God’s way. How do we know what God’s way is in a given situation? By a trinitarian approach to life: (1)by a sincere relationship with the Holy Spirit, (2)by an open search in the Scriptures, and, (3)by the life of Christ on the subject-at-hand. God is not divided. The “right” answer will always be the one that is in harmony with all Three filters: the Holy Spirit, the Scriptures & Christ.

Right?

Blessing Always In All Ways,

Steve
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