“I am my beloved’s, And his desire is toward me.” Song of Solomon 7:10
The Heart’s Desire
In a discussion about intimacy with God with other women, several of us shared how we felt Jesus was engaged to us or how He made us feel like we were His favorite. We spoke of our love for Him and how we felt His presence and His loving care in our lives. Much to my amazement, several women expressed their desire for that kind of relationship. Someone spoke up to say, “It’s not like that for everyone.” Another woman was wiping away tears.
I was taken aback. The desire was there, but they felt they had not experienced this intimacy we were talking about. They didn’t know how to have a relationship with Someone they could not see or hear or touch. I didn’t know how to respond to the longing and the actual hurt I saw in their faces.
I could only share that it was not always so for me, but that my relationship and intimacy with God grew over time, through experiences in His faithfulness, through time in fellowship with Him, through prayer, through seeing Him show up in my need time and again. I tried to assure them that they were not “less than” and if they desired God, they most certainly would find Him.
We moved on to different subjects, but that moment haunted me. How have we missed it? I continue to pray for these women. I questioned myself. Did I sound self-righteous or arrogant in my bragging on God? Do these women need to be lovingly discipled? Do we need to teach in more practical and specific ways about how to develop and deepen relationship with the Divine?
This is a questioning and probing appeal to my fellow believers as to how we can come alongside these dear hearts who long for more of Jesus. This is also an invitation to anyone who wonders what is meant by “intimacy with God,” to share in the comments.
“Father, You are as near as our breath. You are the rhythm of our heartbeat. You desire this intimacy with us even more than we can know. Reveal Your heart to each of us. Amen.”
Alone time, praying, listening, seeking, reading worshiping—-
Praying the Psalms like King David poured out his heart. Being honest with desire to know Him. He loves to reveal Himself to our longing, open hearts.
The most tangible thing I appreciate about my intimacy with God is how he understands how I feel without me saying a word. Even with my husband, I struggle with communicating my feelings. I don’t have to explain to my God. He knows. This didn’t happen overnight, by a long shot. I would encourage others to be patient as their relationship deepens with God….it WILL happen, He keeps His promises. ❤️
For myself, it has been seeking it with my heart and looking for the Lord to speak to me through his word. The Lord knows my heart and I have to be sincere.
I felt that way for a long time until I determined to seek Him until I understood what that means. The best way I have found to get to know someone is to spend time with them. The best way to know Him is (for me) to read His word. I started reading the Bible from beginning to end. The difference was that my motivation was to get to know Him. I read with the expectation that He would reveal Himself to me. I read slowly desiring to know who He was and what His heart was. After about a year and a half (I still had not reached the New Testament yet) my
eyes and heart were finally opened and I had a revelation of His deep and unconditional love for me. That changed everything. It really is true that if you seek Him with all your heart you WILL find Him and the intimacy you desire.
Love all the comments. One thing I’d like to add is that there are women that need healing with earthly intimacy. Women who are divorced may have wrong perceptions of what Gods love for them is. Fear can keep them from seeking Him. Anyway have walked through some of this in my life.
I love God with all my heart and seeking Him daily, sometimes minute by minute, brings me closer to knowing His love. No rejection there, ….❤️
When you go through hard times and He becomes your lifeline, you look back and see His faithfulness and how He brought you through. And you continue to stay in fellowship with Him the best you can, and in time you fall in love with Him and He becomes more and more real to you. He’s wonderful! It’s the best thing in the whole world. Nothing compares! And remember, you don’t have to be perfect. He loves you completely no matter what.
I am experiencing this very same thing. I want my sister to experience the closeness I experience with Jesus. How He is always in me and will help me. I wondered how I can explain to her without her feeling that I know more than her. When she feels stressed and overwhelmed and hurt she can ask Jesus to help carry the burden.
Thank you for the devotion.
And thank Jesus for intimate love.
The more you surrender all to the Lord and abide in Him, the more He fills you with His intimacy.