![]() Humans crave intimacy. We are relational by design. In fact, when God created man He said that it was not good that the man should be alone, so he made a perfect companion called woman. Intimacy is foundational to the human experience. The entirety of God’s law can be summed up in two commands that are both fundamentally about relational intimacy: love God and love others. Apply it to any person. Love God and love your spouse, love God and love your child, love God and love that person who doesn’t look like you or think like you or act like you. You get the idea. Intimacy with God requires intimacy with others. And true intimacy with others requires intimacy with God. I wish it was that easy. Love God, love everyone else, and our world would be like Heaven. But we live in a fallen world with fallen people where sin runs rampant and intimacy is distorted to the point where it’s unrecognizable. Since we’re relational at our core, the effects of our sin and the sin of others spreads like cancer to touch lives that aren’t even directly connected. I’ve seen it happen and tried to help pick up the pieces too many times to count. One experience stands out.
Do you crave a closer relationship with God? Do you want more intimacy with your spouse, your children or someone else? I have great news for you! The same God that restored my friend’s life desires a close, deep, personal relationship with you. He knows everything there is to know about you. He knows your thoughts before you think them. He knows the desires of your heart. He can count the hairs on your head! He desires for you to know Him. As you grow closer to God, you will inevitably grow in your relationship with those around you. You will begin to produce the fruits of His love and your life will be used for His glory. You will see others through the eyes of Jesus, who loved us and gave Himself for us. And as those around you respond to the grace of God in their lives, and grow closer to him as well, you will each experience deeper intimacy with Him and with one another. If I could leave you with one thought on your journey toward intimacy with God and others, remember the encouragement of Paul in his letter to the Philippians.
Brooke Russell is a Licensed Professional Counselor at Cord of 3 Counseling, wife of 9 years and mother of 3.
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