I'm quessing the first thing you thought of, when you read the title had something to do with physical intimacy. That is what our society has made intimacy to be, a physical expression. Yet that is only one piece of what it really is. We read in Genesis 4:1 (KJV)"Adam knew his wife Eve". Now I'm no Hebrew scholar but I have read that the Hebrew word used here is yada. Which is defined as: to know completely and to be completely know, it has also been defined as a mingling of the souls. That is intimacy to be known at a level that goes beyond the physical. To understand their heart and deepest desires for life. To have them understand your heart and desires. Yet somehow our society has twisted this desire for intimacy. It tells us that the physical is the fulfillment of intimacy. Tv, movies, video games, the Internet are all full of examples of the physical intimacy and lust producing images. Yet these portraits of what 'satisfies' are not truly fulfilling. We gratify the flesh but the soul is not nourished or strengthened. It damages all of our relationships even if we don't notice it right away. True fulfillment does exist, to be known as our hearts desire. Psalm 139:1-4 1 "O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways." God already knows us better than anyone else ever could. The intimacy that we seek is available we just need to look for it in the right place. Only when we are seeking this intimacy from God can it be made real in our relationships. We might get a small picture of it but never the whole thing without God being a part of it. I can say from experience that when we try to fulfill our desires from our own strength it ends up leaving you empty. In my relationship experince with friends and dating when I try to make things work the way I desire I'm always left wanting more. When we submit to God's will for us our satisfaction is so much greater. Do you desire the presence of a person more than the presence of God? Are you trying to fulfill your longings for intimacy with relationships, porn or something else? Our desires for companionship and intimacy are God given but if those desires become our god they begin to destroy us. God wants the best for us and if we ask His word show us what that is. Luke 11:9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." In The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Spoiler alert!) at the end of the novel Lucy, Edmund and Eustace are talking to Aslan. He tells Lucy and Edmund that they will not be returning to Narnia. Making Lucy incredibly sad. Aslan tries to cheer her up saying that it is time to come close to her own world. Lucy response brought me to the verge of tears.
"It isn't Narnia, you know, it's you. We shan't meet you there and how can we live, never meeting you". It had nothing to do with the battles, the talking beasts, or even being royalty. Her love for Narnia came from her love for Aslan. That she knew him there and could be close to him, to have true intimacy with Him. May that be our desire as well, to truly know God and not just intellectually. To have that knowledge of Him change everything about us.
A quick update on my fundraising status: My Account currently sits at $4,469.71! My next goal is $6,500 by Dec. 1 Thank you so much to all those who have supported me so far! It means so much to me to see that you are behind me in this. Your continued support through prayer and financialy are greatly appreciated. If you would like to support me click the Support Me link on the side of the page. To all my Canadain donors: If you are writing a cheque please write it out in US funds (ex. One Hundred US dollar). As this will allow the cheques to process faster and put the exact amount into my support account. Also AIM is not able to give tax deductable reciepts to Canadian donors.
