“One person is a friend to another if he is friendly to the other and the other is friendly to him in return” Aristotle
Intimacy = An intimate relationship is a particularly close interpersonal relationship, and the term is sometimes used euphemistically for a sexual relationship. (Wikipedia)
1.a close association with or detailed knowledge or deep understanding of a place, subject, period of history, etc.: an intimacy with Japan. (dictionary.com)
2.a close, familiar, and usually affectionate or loving personal relationship with another person or group. (dictionary.com)
This is a word that is wierd to me. I think that is wierd that it is wierd to me. According to people who study humans and such, we are programed for intimacy. I read a study today that said we have a need to belong and to be loved within an intimate relationship. So in me being wierded out by this word I’m with holding from myself. I think I mostly connect this to only being sexual but recently I’ve been thinking there is more to it than that. Today I realize there is more to it. Somehow in relationships we engage in some intimate things. On the race we live in community. Living in community I realize you can’t hide anything. That means you can’t help but get to know people. Living close with people, you see things and you learn things about them. It’s natural…you can’t help it. We all come from different walks of life; some walks have allowed people to engage in closer relationships while other walks have made it pretty difficult to do so. It’s often a struggle. I think that is why knowing one another’s story is important. I think it allows you to have more grace for them, more understanding, and maybe a window into how God sees them.
My story leads me here in Romania on a couch. Things haven’t always been easy but God has always been faithful. Coming on the race, I didn’t have any expectations. I was just following God. He asked this of me. As I have walked this year out with 33 strangers that I will now call my brothers and sisters, I’ve learned so much…more than I could write in this blog. Looking back I wish I did some things different but we learn from our mistakes. My story also makes it difficult to engage in intimate relationships. I realized this a lot this year. It’s not that I try to be the way I am but I just don’t know any different. I asked the Lord last month, “how can I get more of you? How can I go deeper?” He kept bringing this word to my mind…Intimacy. I didn’t really want to explore this because it scared me and mostly I think it’s wierd to be intimate with the Lord. (hahaha.) Yet this makes so much sense…
After a week or so of fighting the topic that I brought up; I caved. I said ok what does this look like for you and I. God reminded me of Song of Solomon. He said they wrote love letters to one another. They expressed their love and grew through words. I realized that’s the way we all know we are loved or that Christ even died for us. We have a Bible full of love letters to us. They tell us stories and show us his love for us.
1John 4 says “By this we know that we abide in him and he in us because he has given us of his Spirit….God is love and those who abide in love abide in God. Love has been perfected among us in this…There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear…We love because he first loved us…” So I shouldn’t be afraid…I shouldn’t withold love either.
So what does this mean? Well, first it means that YOU and I are loved a whole heck of a lot. It means that no matter where we come from in life, we are meant to have intimate relationships not only with people in our lives but also with God. In my relationship with the Lord, he challenged me to write him a love letter once a week. It’s been a struggle actually. To change my perspective from father to lover…
Yep…It’s wierd. But I think it’ll take me where I need to go. Maybe you should try it, if you think like I do, it’s worth a shot.
If you want more, you gotta try new things.
“nothing ventured, nothing gained” (Charles Spurgeon)
“Set a fire down in my soul, that I can’t contain…that I can’t control…I want more of you God!” (Will Reagan)
