Category Archives: Intimacy with God

Articles of describing the intimacy of prayer, the intense language of prayer, and how prayer is our personal link to God.

Intimacy with God: The Lord of Hosts and You

Intimacy with God involves knowing Him deeply and personally. Such intimacy begins in knowing about the character and nature of God in his Word, in creation and in our life experience with God.

Reading the scriptures will help us grow in knowing God, understanding his character and interactions with man. How we take those truths into our heart and use them in our daily interactions with God helps us to develop intimacy with God.

I have found in my studies that the names God gives himself are an important way God reveals himself to us.

Names Make Intimate Connections
In John 10:3, we read that Jesus knows his sheep by name.
“The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.”

Jesus knows the sheep, so he calls each one by a name. They listen and follow him. There is a trusting relationship between them. A little further on in verse 10, Jesus explains the deeper nature of this relationship with his sheep. It is akin to Jesus’ relationship with the Father. They are so close and intimate that they are one (John 10:30).

Jesus has plans for us to get even closer to Him. In John 17:21-23, Jesus prays that we will be one with each other and one in him, as he and the Father are one.

I love the fact that Jesus does not treat me in a generic way, or just as part of a group, but he knows me by name.  Jesus calls each of us by name, not only that but he has made plans to draw us closer to Him. These truths bring a sense of intimacy into the relationship.

If God knows our names and we feel a sense of closeness, we can grow even more in our intimacy with God by knowing His names. In sharing his names with us God is opening up knowledge of himself to us. In reality, God is inviting us into intimacy with him.

In revealing his names, God is revealing deep truths about his nature and character, and who he is in relation to us. We respond to God’s intimate overture to us by believing the truths he reveals about his self, and then we use those truths as we meet the circumstances in our live. In a sense, we live out the character of God in our lives.

The LORD of Hosts
One of the names God reveals to us is, LORD Sabaoth translated LORD of hosts,
“You show steadfast love to thousands … O great and mighty God, whose name is the
Lord of hosts …” Jeremiah 32:18

The word “tsaba” is translated several ways. It means army, or host (as in a large organized army). It refers to the angelic armies of God. It is a war term and is often used in association with various battles and struggles. The prophets use this name of God often in their writings.

A clear reference to spiritual/physical warfare and the LORD of hosts is found in Isaiah 13:4b-5.
“The Lord of hosts (tsaba) is mustering a host/army (tsaba) for battle. They come from a distant land, from the end of the heavens, the Lord and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.”

It is used to indicate God’s supreme and unlimited power, authority and judgment. (On occasion it is used to refer to the actual physical heavenly bodies of the sun, moon and stars).

Here are a few of the passages using the word “tsaba.” (The name LORD Sabaoth is used 261 in the Old Testament).

  •  “When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army (tsaba) of the Lord. Now I have come.” Joshua 5:13-14
  • “Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne with all the host (tsaba) of heaven standing on his right and on his left…”
    2 Chronicles 18:18
  • “Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts (tsaba)!” Psalm 148:2
  • “Our Redeemer—the LORD of hosts (tsaba) is his name— is the Holy One of Israel.”    Isaiah 47:4

Intimacy in Real Life – A Shepherd Boy and the LORD of Hosts
David knew God’s name – LORD Sabaoth. This name revealed to David that God is almighty and sovereign over all. Armed with this knowledge about God, David was confident that God was with him as he approached Goliath.

David refers to God as the Lord of Hosts as he faces off with Goliath. As David moves towards Goliath He says that he is coming to Goliath in the name of the Lord of hosts.

“Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” 1 Samuel 17:45

Goliath could not see any “hosts” of God, so he laughed at and scorned David. All he saw was an army hiding in fear, but David knew who God is, David knew God’s name –LORD/Yahweh Sabaoth.

David believes that God truly has an army of angels. David calls upon LORD Sabaoth, and claims His power to help him in the battle.

David incorporated the truth he learned in intimate times with God and from his past experience with God, therefore, he was able to depend on God’s all mighty power as he stepped up to face Goliath. This is an example of how intimate knowledge of God became a part of real life. As a result of fighting Goliath with God, David grew in faith and intimacy with God.

A Woman in Conflict and the Lord of Hosts
As I read about the word “tsaba” in scriptures I came across the story of Hannah. The scriptures describe Hannah as a woman sorely troubled.

In 1 Samuel 1:1-20,  we read of this struggle within Hannah’s heart and in her relationship with Peninnah, the other wife of Hannah’s husband.  Hannah was grieved because she was barren; and she was grieved, even vexed, by the taunting of Peninnah (Elkanah’s other wife) who had children.

  • “And her (Hannah’s) rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb.  So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her.” 1 Samuel 1:6-7

In her struggles regarding both barrenness and the taunts of this other woman, we read that Hannah prays to God.  In her prayers, Hannah does not address God as Merciful Father, or Compassionate God as one might think, but rather because of her struggles she uses the war reference to God. Hannah addresses God as “LORD Sabaoth” in her prayer.

“After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life…”1 Sam.1:7-11

This is amazing. Hannah knew God’s name “LORD of hosts.” She understood the meaning and believed the truth of it. From this knowledge and belief Hannah intimately pours out her heart about her conflict, her battle, to the LORD of Hosts.

The LORD of Hosts and You
Knowing God as “LORD Sabaoth or Lord of hosts” gives me confidence and security.
I can call upon my Father who is Yahweh/LORD of the angel armies, and feel secure as I battle against sin and darkness in my life. With this knowledge of God born of intimacy I lean on LORD Sabaoth in conflicts with others. As He helps me conquer fearsome and intimidating circumstances, or darkness in my life, I grow deeper in my closeness with God.

The truths that are revealed by God in His Word to me are truths that cause me to have a deeper connection to Him, a deeper intimacy with Him as I engage in life.

Intimacy with God is not an ethereal experience, or a continuous run of warm fuzzy feelings. It involves knowing truths about God, believing them, and living out your daily life.

Intimacy with God is a truth: it is a feeling; but also it is an action we take as we depend on God. David did this as he approached Goliath in the name of LORD Sabaoth. Hannah did this as she cried out to LORD Sabaoth for help in her struggle.

What about you and LORD Sabaoth? What will He do in your life?

Intimate Names

Names are meaningful and special. Names can be very visionary, in that they seem to characterize a specific quality or goal of an individual’s life. For example, I know a couple who named their daughter Mercy, and she grew up to become a most compassionate nurse and caregiver.

God has a thing for names!
In scripture God uses His name(s) to convey meaning and to help us understand Him.  Knowing the names of God provides a deeper knowledge of Him, an intimate connection. In John 10:3, 14, Jesus clarifies His deep personal relationship with His sheep (followers) through His use of their names.

“The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. … I know my sheep and my sheep know me—“John 10:3, 14

Names establish connection. Knowing God by name brings about trust in His character and thus a deeper intimacy with God. The names used of God and by God for Himself, reveal His character and ways of interacting with and on behalf of us. The more we know God, the deeper our intimacy with Him will become. In Psalm 9:10, the Psalmist declares that knowing God’s name(s) leads to trust in God.

“The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.”

In Psalm 91:14, we see a similar connection with one of God’s names. We see this connection that the believer holds fast to God because he knows God’s name, and God responds protection and deliverance,

“Because he holds fast to Me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows My name.“ Ps. 91:14 (ESV)

God’s nature and character is represented in His names and titles. Some of these names include: Champion, Refuge, Savior, Deliverer, Rock, Fortress, High Tower, King of Glory, the Most High God, God Almighty, the Lord of Hosts, and so on.

Addressing God Intimately
The language used in the Psalms provides a window into the intimacy that can exist between God and man.  What are some of the ways psalmists addressed and referred to God?

God, the One Enthroned on High
In Psalm 113:5-8, we see God’s name expanded to indicate His superlatively high, majestic position above man.

“Who is like the LORD our God, the One enthroned on high? He humbles Himself to behold the heavens and the earth. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the dump
to seat them with nobles, with the princes of His people.”

We get a deeper understanding of God when we understand His position as “the One enthroned on high,” meaning God is Sovereign Lord overall. This God who is Sovereign and Most High God bends humbly towards us who are poor and lowly. He bends down and brings us up.

Psalm 18:35 provides a clear and accurate picture of this when the psalmist says:

  • “You have given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand upholds me, and Your humility exalts me.” HCSB
  • “Then You give me the shield of Your salvation. Your right hand sustains me, and You stoop down to lift me up.” Ps. 18:35 EHV

God did this for you and me.  I am a sinner and of lowly heritage, but I have been lifted up out of my sin and brought near to God, through the sacrifice of Jesus, and He has made me a priest unto Him and a member of His royal family.

  • “…remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.´ Ephesians 2:12-13 
  • “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9.

God, the One Enthroned on High gives us a place in His presence, an identity and a purpose!

God, the Righteous Judge
In Psalm 7 and Psalm 50, God is referred to as the Righteous God, the Righteous Judge and the God of Justice.

  • “Put an end to the evil of the wicked, but establish the righteous, O Righteous God who searches hearts and minds…. God is a righteous judge and a God who feels indignation each day.” Psalm 7:9, 11  BSB
  • “And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for he is a God of justice.” Psalm 50:6

No Warm Fuzzies
The terms judge and justice do not make me feel all warm and fuzzy, in fact I feel insecure at the mention of such terms. Yet, if I understand the truth in the name of God as the “Righteous Judge,” I can have a deeper feeling of trust and appreciation for God.

Justice and Security?
The reason for this trust and thanksgiving is Jesus.  God worked out His righteous judgement in Jesus. Romans 8:4 states that God met the just requirement of His law in Jesus. I broke God’s law, many times through my sin. In the court of God, I am guilty and deserve the consequence of that guilt which is death, separation from God.

Yet God arranged for the penalty due me to be paid in Jesus through Him being the sin offering for me. God arranged payment of the penalty through the shedding of Jesus’ blood. Jesus then offered his blood as the atonement for my sins which canceled the debt and the penalty standing against me.

“For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh, so that the righteous standard of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:3-4 BSB (See Romans 3:25-26)

God fulfilled requirement of His law in the sacrifice of His Son. Justice  has been served, but not to me, but rather to the Son of God for me. So, I can come before the Righteous Judge with confidence and love because of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus.

  • “When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses, having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross!”  Col. 2:13-14 
  • “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” 2 Cor. 5:21

Know God’s Names to Develop Intimacy
I (we) can develop a greater sense of intimacy with God when we know the names and titles by which God is called. These names open up my mind to understand who God is and what He has done for me, while at the same time helping me see who I am before God. When I see myself in deep need of God, Who He is, and what He has done for me, then I am more real with Him and move deeper into Him.

As you read and study the Bible, look for God’s names. What do they tell you about Who He is and how He interacts with you?

Intimacy and Asking

Intimacy and Asking by Lory Demshar
God has invited us into a very personal relationship with Him. In truth He not only invited us, but planned and prepared how I can have this deeply intimate fellowship with Him. The atoning sacrifice of Jesus is the foundation of this invitation and our faith in Him is our R.S.V.P to God’s invitation.

In a previous blog we looked at some Psalms to learn what intimacy sounds like.

We read words that describe intimacy such as longing for; yearning; hungering and thirsting for and being consumed with God.

In this blog I want to look at questions, deep personal questions that reveal the agony of the soul and a vulnerable intimacy that we dare to have with God.

Questions Reveal Intimacy
As we read through the Psalms we see that the psalmists asked some, what I would call, “gutsy” questions. Yet these questions reveal an understanding of a personal relationship with God. Such questions show vulnerability, an ability to pour out our weakness, our fear, our confusion and our pain to God.

Such questions spring from a faith in God, a trust in His openness to us; His care and concern for us, and His involvement in each one of our lives.

These questions are so emotionally revealing that at times they sound more like a demand for an answer, and infact sometimes are just that. To me these questions imply that only someone who knows God deeply can risk being that intimate.

Urgent Intimate Questions
Look at some of the questions that the psalmist felt at ease asking God.

In Psalm 13:1-2, David, in his agonizing, asks these questions of God.
“How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart?  How long will my enemy triumph over me?”

In two relatively short verses David puts forth 5 questions that reveal the very personal, intimate relationship he has with God.

David is asking God –Yahweh, the great almighty eternal God who is the source of all life and who has all power, “How long is this difficult situation going to go on? How long will You, God let this happen?” This is intimate, gutsy.

David is so vulnerable that in the next question he tells God, “I feel like you have forgotten me. You have gone off and left me in this difficulty alone. Where are You my God, my Friend, my Helper?”

David gets gut level open and asks God, “Are You hiding Your face from me? Have You turned Your back on me? Do you not want to be in a relationship with me?”

David is ratcheting up in his vulnerable faith and is telling God that this difficulty is too heavy for him to bear alone. It is on his mind day and night. He is sick with sorrow about this. He is wrestling about what to do and why it is happening. Perhaps David is sleepless and restless and pacing and calling out to God, being vulnerable and asking question after question demanding an answer.

The questions David asks God in Psalm 13 are an example of intimacy with God.

Other Questions
As we read through the Psalms we see many examples of such intimacy revealed in questions. Read and reflect on the intimacy with God that these questions imply.

  • “Why, Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” Psalm 10:1
  • “Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? Has his unfailing love vanished forever?  Has his promise failed for all time?  Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?” Psalm 77:7-9
  • “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?” Psalm 22:1-2 (A Messianic saying, yet a question David asked).
  • “… save me because of your unfailing love.  Among the dead no one proclaims your name. Who praises you from the grave?” Psalm 6:4b-5

What do you ask God?
As I read through these psalms and look at the events in the psalmist’s life I am drawn to the intimacy that the psalmist had with God.

Do I trust God enough to ask my own very vulnerable questions? Do I dare to be that personal with God? It seems to me that God is calling us to this very intimacy.

I encourage you to read through the Psalms and look at the questions the psalmists asked. Begin to become more personal with God, ask Him the questions you have on your heart.

 

 

Are You Intimate with God?

A Language of Intimacy
Although the term “intimacy with God” has become a buzz word in many religious circles, it is a true and real experience that God has opened to us. Jesus references this intimacy several times in passages such as,  John 14:23 and Rev. 3:20.

  • “Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. Then my Father will love him, and We will go to him and make our home within him.”  John 14:23 ISV
  • “Listen! I am standing at the door and knocking! If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come into his home and share a meal with him, and he with Me.” Rev. 3:20 NET

What can be more intimate than God making His home in us; or God having dinner time fellowship with us? Intimacy implies a relationship so close, so personal, and so vulnerable that the two people are as one. It is like a “melding into God;” or like “lodging” within God.

The expression “intimacy” when applied to God and us seems too personal, too private, well, almost too intimate to believe. Yet that is exactly what God calls us into. I marvel at the thought of having a personal relationship with God, the God who creates and sustains all life.

Jesus – Came from Intimacy
Jesus is the perfect example of an intimate relationship with God. John 1:18 tells us that Jesus dwelt in the “bosom of the Father.”  

  • “No one has ever yet seen God. The only begotten God, the One being in the bosom of the Father, He has made Him” John 1:18 (BSB)

“Bosom” is a term of intimacy. Being “in the bosom” is up close and personal, so close it is like being melded with another. It is being lodged next to and held close to the heart. Jesus lived in the bosom of the Father, the place where deep love and intimate truths are exchanged.

This thought of “bosom intimacy” is revealed in other words of Jesus.

  • “I and the Father are one.” John 10:30
  • “Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me?” John 14:9b-10a
  • “…that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent Me.” John 17:21

Jesus’ intimacy, His “bosom” relationship with God made Him able to reveal God’s will and character to us. His “bosom” closeness made Him able to trust the Father, as well as surrender to and become obedient to the will of the Father.

Intimacy Sounds Like . . . 
A good place to learn about this intimate relationship is in the Psalms. King David is described in the scriptures as a man after God’s own heart, a good example of a “bosom” friendship.  The Psalms, those of David and others, open a portal for us to view intimacy with God. We will hear words like: longing, yearning, fainting, languishing, gazing, hungering, thirsting, panting and more.

Intimate “Speak”
One thing that is striking and revealing in David’s writings is the language he uses to express his feelings for God. Let’s look at some these expressions.

Longing
I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your doings; I muse on the work of Your hands. I stretch out my hands to You; My soul longs for You, as a parched land. Answer me quickly, O Lord, my spirit fails; do not hide Your face from me, or I will become like those who go down to the pit. Ps. 143:5-7 (NASB)

David speaks intimately to God, boldly declaring his longing for God, and almost demanding that God pay attention to him.

The word for “long” in this passage is “ayeph.” It means “to long for.” This is not just an emotional “hankering” for God, but rather it is a deep internal soul yearning that involves mind, heart and body. The definition implies a physical longing that is akin to fainting with exhaustion; languishing from the toil of earnestly seeking for the closeness of God; a longing for God to insert Himself in David’s life; a longing to hear from God and see Him act in his life.

This longing is so physical that it involves “stretching his hands out” for God, perhaps like a child reaching up to be held close, comforted and  loved. Also, David longs so intensely that his “spirit fails” if God does not respond.

In Psalm 84:2 David expresses this same type of longing: “My soul longs yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.”

Even though the word “long” in this verse comes from a different Hebrew word it implies a longing that is a pining after the presence of God, and it includes a physical effect such as turning pale from the effort of longing. Being in a bosom relationship with God produces a physical response of the heart and flesh singing.

Thirsting and Panting
David’s words in Psalm 42:1-2 describe what intimacy with God sounds like and looks like.

  •  “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?”

Here, we see that intimacy pants and thirsts for God. The term pant (arag) is rich with meaning. It expresses a strong desire; a bent, or intent to be with God as a deer would search out water. Also, it is defined as a breathe or a deep sigh, perhaps like a deer bleating or crying out after water. I have to ask myself: Do I cry out for more closeness with God? Do I eagerly anticipate being in His presence? Do I practice His presence daily, hourly in my life?

In studying about this, I found that deer never roam far from a water source, even if it is but a puddle on the ground. It is interesting that David uses this imagery to describe his connection to God. In other words even though he has a relationship with God and is close with Him, David desires and seeks to be connected to God more and more deeply.

Consumed in God
There are numerous expressions of intimacy in the Psalms. Intimacy with God cannot just be a buzz word or a hot topic in our “spiritual” conversations. It is our actual living relationship with God that involves our whole life not just our “practice” of religion, or our academic study of the Bible.

Take time to read through the psalms and look for the consuming passion of the psalmist’s intimacy with God. Here are a few:

  • “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:25 NIV (Asaph)
  • “One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord  all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.” Ps. 27:4 NIV
  • “For better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of the wicked.” Ps. 84:10
  • “Lord, I love the house where you live, the place where your glory dwells.” Ps. 26:8

Reflect on Your Intimacy
As I study about the intimacy revealed in the Psalms, I cannot help but reflect on my relationship with God. Am I living in my relationship with God, “supping” with Him, or merely practicing a nice little religion that makes me feel spiritually secure?

Do the words longing, yearning, hungering, thirsting, or languishing for, describe my relationship with God? Do I seek to take time to “gaze” on the beauty of the Lord? Do I seek His face? Am I consumed in Him or am I too preoccupied with my own identity and too involved in my own pursuits and “standing” among men? What words describe my intimacy with God?

God: A Personal Friend-Part 2

While God is Almighty, all powerful, and the sovereign Lord, He does extend Himself to us as our intimate friend.

In Psalm 25:14 the scripture describes the God who creates and sustains all life as wanting to confide in us.

”The LORD confides in those who fear Him, He makes His covenant known to them.”
Ps. 25:14 (NIV)

In the previous entry, “God: Our Personal Friend,” we saw that this expression confides was translated from a Hebrew word having a primitive root meaning “couch.” This has the inference of a place where two people lean into each other and share intimate, personal conversations. Where they can open up their heart and share their inmost thoughts and feelings. God is welcoming us to do that.

It seems unbelievable, but it is true! If you are in any form a believer in God this is an astounding truth. I, for one, desire such a relationship with God. I want to go beyond the religious exterior of performance and be in close friendship with God.

God, the Initiator
God has been reaching out to man to have a very personal relationship since before creation. Eph. 1:4 states: “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.”

God initiated setting us up to be able to have this close relationship with Him even before He created the world. This close relationship was always God’s intention, will and desire.

Let’s look at a few of these types of encounters with God.

More Snapshots on the Couch with God
As we flip through the album of God’s friends as written in the scriptures I see God’s overtures to man to indicate that God truly does welcome such closeness.

A Bold Conference with God
In Genesis 18, the LORD visits with Abraham to confirm the promise of a son. As the Lord is leaving He considers Sodom and Gomorrah and looks in the direction of those cities. He plans to destroy them for their wickedness and harm to others. His intent to have a close relationship, one in which includes Him revealing His heart and mind to man, is indicated in these words:

“When the men got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way. Then the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?” Gen. 18:16-17

After this comes a dialogue between Abraham and God in which God reveals to Abraham what He is about to do, and Abraham intercedes back and forth with God about this what God plans to do.

Abraham asks God in a series of dialogues if God would destroy these cities even if Abraham found 50 righteous people. God says, “No.” Abraham intercedes back and forth through 40, 30, 20 and 10 righteous people. (Genesis 18:16-33)

This is a true to life example of sitting on the couch with God.

Vulnerable Outpouring on the Couch
Have you ever been so frustrated and hurt by a situation or a person that you just had to sit down with your best friend and have a good cry, pouring all the hurt and confusion out? This is what we see in the next picture of Hannah and God.

In 1 Samuel 1:3-17, we see Hannah in a frenzied state talking to God. In verses 6 and 7 we read the background of Hannah’s soul talk with God. We see Hannah has been being harassed by her rival, Peninnah, the second wife of Elkanah.

We read hard words: provoked, irritated and rival. Some translations use the words provoke grievously and taunt severely to describe how Peninnah interacted with Hannah.

The scriptures relate that Hannah was in “deep anguish” when she confided in God, 1 Sam.1:10. The term “deep anguish” is translated as: in bitterness, anger, or discontent.  One older translation says in “bitterness of soul she prayed to God.”

We might say Hannah was more than discouraged. This was not some simpering, prayer full of clichés and platitudes. She was frustrated and angry. She was honest and vulnerable before God. She prayed in such a distraught fashion that the priest who watched her as she spoke to God took her to be drunk, 1 Sam. 1:12-14.

What did God do? Ignore her? Recoil? No! God did not chastise her. He did not turn away from her. He listened to her and responded. He understood and answered her prayer. Infact, God had a mission for the son she would bear as a result of this talk with God.

You and God: Heart to Heart
God wants to have heart to heart talks with you also. In Revelation 3:20, Jesus says,

“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.” (NLT)

Jesus is talking to believing disciples in this passage. He is not speaking to non-believers; He has another invitation for them in His Gospel. He is addressing the church in Laodicea.

He is reminding these disciples that He wants a deep personal friendship with them. The imagery in this passage is of sitting down and sharing a meal and conversation with Jesus. It is a picture of a personal friendship.

God wants to have a heart to heart talk with me, every day. Do I want to have this with God? Do I trust Him and His love for me?

God made it possible to be close with Him. He set this up through the death of His Son. Do I come in openness, humility, and a willingness to be vulnerable with God? Am I sitting on the couch, leaning into Him? Am I sharing a meal with Him, or participating in a routine or a religious process.

Think about it. What is it like between you and God?

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“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?”
Psalm 42:1-2

God: A Personal Friend

Picture this: It is the dark of the night, the sky out in the country is brilliant with stars, myriads of stars, countless, dazzling, bright stars, against the dark backdrop of night (imagine no street lights). As we watch the scene, Abraham stands looking up. He seems to be talking to someone, someone who has his arm around him and seems to be pointing to the stars. The scene seems to present two friends appreciating the night sky and conferring with each other.

Something like that really did happen to a man named Abraham. It is recorded in Genesis 15:4-6.

  • “Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.”  He (God) took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then He said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.”

Now picture this: you seated on your couch with God next to you. Maybe He is holding your hand or has an arm draped around your shoulders, talking to you and you to Him.

Can’t picture it? Let’s see where we get this idea about a very personal God.

Come Sit with Me
Psalm 25:14 states: “The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him and He will make His covenant known to them.”

The word translated “secret” inherently implies some type of intimacy. Like one friend whispering a confidence to another. The word “secret” is “cowd” in Hebrew. It means “counsel, consultation; familiar converse; intimate conversation.”

Actually this word “cowd” comes from a primitive root that means a couch or a cushion upon which someone reclines, indicating people sitting together leaning in towards each other and conversing.

  • The NIV translates this concept as: “The Lord confides in those who fear Him;
    He makes His covenant known to them.”
  • The ESV translates it as: “The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him,
    and He makes known to them His covenant.”

Both translations catch the intended meaning with the words “confide” and “friendship,” but the primitive root of “cowd” captures the intimacy of this relationship. We need to be careful that our “religion” does not obscure our vision of the relationship that God is longing to have with us.

A Second Look at an Old Friendship
So what does this very personal friendship with God look like? If we take time to look closely, and beyond the way we have always seen the story of Moses and God, we can get a glimpse of it.

We see this relationship throughout the life of Moses. Let’s look at one snapshot of their relationship, such as when Moses was called to work with God to deliver Israel from Egypt. This meeting is recorded in Exodus 3 and 4.

I am used to seeing this meeting of God with Moses at the burning bush as God, the Sovereign LORD, giving a command to His servant Moses. But, on second look, maybe what we really are seeing is God reaching out to a man (Moses) to bring him into a friendship and partnership with Him.

What signs of friendship do I see?
I see God’s reassurance of His presence with Moses, like he isn’t going it alone; it doesn’t all depend on Moses.
      And God said, “I will be with you…” Ex. 3:12

I see it in God, like a true friend, being transparent and revealing His true identity to Moses.

  • God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ “This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.” Ex. 3:14-15

I see it in God, as a good friend, sharing His strength and power with Moses.

  • “Then the Lord said, “If they do not believe you or pay attention to the first sign, they may believe the second. But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood on the ground.” Ex. 4:8-9

In chapter 4, we see Moses, so to speak “sitting on the couch” with God, having intimate converse or consult with God. Moses shares his weakness and fears with God, and God provides support for Moses in each thought. There is intimacy; there is encouragement; there is frustration and even anger expressed; but always, God is the friend, the help, the advocate.

Many other instances in the life of Moses reveal this close personal friendship and partnership between God and Moses. We can see it in the life of Hannah, David, Hezekiah, Elijah, Elisha, Daniel and countless others, but the question is do we see this for our life today?

In the End It Is “Religion or Relationship”
So many times in my life I have tripped over my practice of religion and missed the depth and beauty of a real relationship with God. God is all about this relationship. He has set it up from before the creation of the world for us to be close to Him.
Eph. 1:4 – 6 states this truth clearly. Look for the relationship words.

  • “For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love He predestined us for adoption as His sons/daughters through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the Beloved One.”

While God is Almighty, all powerful, and the sovereign Lord, He does extend Himself to us as our intimate friend. In the next article we will explore this relationship as seen in others in the scriptures; God’s many invitations; and what it takes for us to have this relationship.

Wonder of Wonders

Have you ever been “stuck” in your faith, in trusting God during a rough season, one of those dips or pits in life? Struggles of a physical, spiritual, emotional or relational nature show up in our life on a regular basis, at least they do in mine.

These are the times when we question God about: His love, His good will towards us, His power, His truth and even His presence in our life. It seems odd that we should question the very character and nature of God, but when overwhelmed with turmoil or suffering, our perspective is often blurred and confused.

Psalm 77 describes a dark time in the life of the psalmist. During this time he wrestles with some strong feelings about God and asks seemingly  accusatory questions.

  • He asks where God is and if He (God) has rejected/abandoned him in verse 7- “Will the Lord reject forever?”
  • The psalmist goes on questioning, asking God if He cares about him and if He loves him in verse 7b and 8 – “And will He never be favorable again? Has His loving-kindness ceased forever?”
  • He even questions the faithfulness of God in keeping His promises in verse 8b – “Has His promise come to an end forever?”
  • The psalmist continues his lament and asks God if He has forgotten to bless him or has forgotten about him in verse 9a – “Has God forgotten to be gracious?”
  • He asks if God is mad at him, verse 9b – “Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”

The psalmist is so discouraged that he could not sleep (notice he blames God) and he could not even speak about it, “You have held my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.” He asked God some of the same questions I have and perhaps you have asked at some time in your life.

What to Do in a Faith Funk?
The psalmist knew where to go, and was able to drag himself to that source even in the midst of his turmoil. The psalmist decides he will remember the truths he already knows about God. He makes a decision to “recount the wonders of God.”

“I shall remember the deeds of the LORD; surely I will remember (recount)Your wonders of old. I will meditate on all Your work and muse on Your deeds.” Psalm 77:11-12

The psalmist did not look inward to himself, or outward to others, but interestingly enough he looked back at the great deeds of God for help. As he reviewed these deeds, he fanned the flame of his faith because he remembered how great, powerful and loving God is.

What Are the “Wonders?”
The word “wonders” as written by this psalmist comes from a root meaning something wonderful, admirable; extraordinary; astonishing and hard to grasp. It often refers to the wondrous acts of God’s redemption towards man. Words like miracles, marvelous things and mighty deeds are used to define “wonders.”

However, we should note that this word “wonders”  not only refers to God’s might deeds, but it can also refer to His counsel (Isaiah 9:5), and His interaction with man (Isaiah 29:14).

Wonder About the Wonders!
In Psalm 77:13-20, the psalmist details some of these wondrous works that God did for Israel as he delivered them from Egypt.

I like wonder at the wonders of God by scanning through the Bible and recounting the wonders of God. When I do this, I come away renewed in my faith. When read one right after the other it takes my breath away.

I stand in awe of God, who He is, and how intricately and complexly He wove His love and power through the history of His people to bring about the salvation of mankind. Then I remember that this God, I am reading about, is the same God who walks in a relationship with me through my faith today. This renews my faith. Keeping a ready reference of these wonders close by me has lifted my soul out of despondence and doubt many times.

Reminiscing
Here are few of my favorite wonders of God from the scriptures.

  • God spoke things into existence, Genesis 1-2.
    “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” Hebrews 11:3
  • God made man in His image and gave him dominion over all the earth, Gen. 1:26.
  • God enabled a100 year old man and a 90 year old woman to give birth to the child from whom would descend the Messiah, the Son of God, Romans 4:19.
  • God divided the waters of the Red Sea and Israel walked across on dry land, Ex.14:21-22.
  • The Lord delivered 3 young men from a fiery death, in fact He walked within the fire with them, Daniel 3:23, 25.
  • God let fire fall from heaven in answer to a prophet’s prayer in order to show Israel that He is God and there is no other,1 Kings 18:30-39.
  • The Almighty God who creates and sustains all life became flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth, John 1:14;Philippians 2:6-8.
  • In compassion, Jesus healed a leper, Mark 1:40-45.
  • Jesus raised a young girl from death, Mark 5:35-42.
  • Jesus calmed the storm and the sea, Matthew 8:23-27.
  • Jesus, God in the flesh, became the sacrifice for my sins so that I might become the righteousness of God, 1 Peter2:24; 2 Cor. 5:21.

Chronicle the Wonders
There are many “wonders” of God in the scriptures, as well as ones He has worked in your life. I encourage you to scan through the Bible and find the wonders of God.

  • Read them.
  • Meditate on them.
  • Paint pictures of them in your mind.
  • Journal about them.

Create a ready reference of them, then in times of discouragement, deep wrestling and doubt you can be restored by remembering the wonders of our great God!

Come and see the works of God, Who is awesome in His deeds toward the sons of men.
Psalm 66:5

God – A Keeper

The other day I was sorting through things in my home with the intent of “minimalizing.” As I sorted through things I realized that I “kept” or held onto things based on their value or their use, and also, if it held a special memory or emotional connection.

As I read my Bible during the days of my minimalizing project, the word “keep” continued to come into my focus. The word “keep” is used numerous times in the scriptures, especially in the book of Psalms, and I am finding it has a different meaning than just holding onto something for its use, value or sentiment.

A Deeper Meaning
The word “keep” in the scriptures is used often to refer to an action of God on our behalf that is seemingly separate from our value or use.

There are several words in the Hebrew language for keep. We will consider three of them: shamar, tsaphan and natsar.  When we look at these words it is in a sense “splitting hairs” because they all have the same general meaning “to keep”, yet they differ slightly in shades of meaning. I guess if the Holy Spirit thought it necessary to use several different words to communicate the same thought then we should sit up and pay attention to what the Spirit is saying.

Tsaphan – Hide Me Away O God!
Tsaphan  meaning “keep,” comes from a primitive root meaning to hide, to cover over implying hiding to protect; store away secretly; to keep hidden, as in hidden from harm. Psalm 31:19-20 brings out this meaning.

  • “How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up (tsaphan) for those who fear You, which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You, before the sons of men! You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the conspiracies of man; You keep (tsaphan) them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues.”(NASB)

In Psalm 31 we see David trusted that God was “keeping” him from the harm of the conspiracies of men that were going on around about him.

We too can trust that God is sheltering us; He is keeping us- hiding us away– in His secret shelter from the tongues of men, and protecting us from the danger of their gossipy words, angry or jealous talk, or outright evil intent. When we trust in God, He keeps us safe in the secret place of His presence. How special is!

Natsar- Faithfully Keep Watch Over Me!
Natsar is translated “Keep” and comes from a primitive root meaning to guard with fidelity; to watch over with the emphasis on faithful watching over. It is also translated preserve; save.

This concept is illustrated in Isaiah 26:3.

  • “You keep (natsar) him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.”

God faithfully keeps our soul in peace and calm in the midst of difficulties as we trust in Him. Perhaps Paul was thinking of this scripture when he penned Phil 4:6-7, “The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Shamar – Put a Hedge Around Me!
Shamar means “keep” and comes from a primitive root meaning to hedge about, in the sense of surrounding a thing for protection or containment. However, it is also translated: to observe, to keep watch over; to guard; to protect; to keep safe; to preserve and to treasure.

We see this word used in several psalms but I want to point out two of them: Psalm 140:4 and Psalm 12:7. Note David uses both shamar and natsar in these verses, enriching the idea of God as our Keeper.

  • “Keep (shamar) me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; preserve (natsar) me from violent men who have purposed to trip up my feet.” Ps. 140:4
  • “You, O Lord, will keep (shamar) them; You will preserve (natsar) him from this generation forever.” Ps. 12:7

As we know from the scriptures David was anointed king but was chased around the countryside by Saul who intended to kill him. Things were so bad that David hid in caves and even went over to the enemy and pretended to be out of his mind. In the midst of these difficulties David called upon God to keep him, to put a hedge of safety around him, and to faithfully watch over him to preserve him and deliver him.

God is the same in character and heart today as when He interacted with David. We too can ask God to put a hedge around us and to preserve us in the midst of our trials.

This Doesn’t Feel Like Safety and Security
Whether you “feel” like it or not- God is “keeping” You. It is a part of His character and heart in relationship with us. When God “keeps us” it does not mean that we are free from all trouble and pain, but rather that He preserves us, our spirit, and yes sometimes even our life in the midst of difficulty. So have faith and trust God as your Keeper.

Think about some well-known accounts of God “keeping” his people.

  • Daniel in the lions’ den: Daniel lived his faith in God before unbelieving men. He was punished barbarically by being thrown into a den of hungry lions. Where was God his keeper? Right there, closing the mouth of the lions! (Dan. 6)
  • What about Joseph? Where was God, the Keeper, when Joseph was falsely accused and thrown in a dungeon to rot? He was right there with Joseph blessing everything he did, waiting to bring things together at the right time to exalt Joseph and deliver Israel. (Gen. 37-50)

We could flip through the pages of scripture and find many such examples from Adam through to the Christians in the first century church.

What about you?
Your circumstances may be painful or messy; your emotions may be blinding you to the truth of God’s presence, but He is there surrounding you, faithfully guarding your soul and preserving you. God is your Keeper!

Take time out to think of all the ways God has been “keeping” you. Think of the many ways God has protected you and surrounded you with His grace and love, and then give to Him the praise that is due Him.

 

Forget God!?

Forget God? “Impossible! Preposterous!” you say, especially about anyone who is actively involved in “walking with God.” Yet forgetting God is s very real phenomenon. I believe we forget God in ways that seem small to us and are barely noticeable on a daily basis. Think about it.

Forgetting God Is Real
In fact, the phenomenon of forgetting God is so real that we read passages in the scriptures in which God predicts that His people will forget Him, and passages in which God charges them with forgetting Him.

In Deuteronomy 6:10-12, before Israel entered the “promised land” God encourages the people to remember Him and not forget Him after they become settled into their new land and new way of life.

“When the Lord your God brings you into the land He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied,  be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.”

And we see a similar warning again in Deuteronomy 8:12-14:
“… Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.”

As Israel progressed in life, we clearly see that it is not only possible for a people in a covenant relationship to forget God but it is a reality. Listen to this very heart breaking statement from God in Jeremiah 2:32.
“Does a young woman forget her jewelry, a bride her wedding ornaments? Yet my people have forgotten Me, days without number.”

The book of Judges documents the truth of a people in a covenant relationship with God who continually “forgot” God. Throughout the Old Testament we read of such warnings, statements of reality of them forgetting God, as well as ways that God encourages His people to remember Him. Some of these ways included: writing His command on their door posts; walking in the way with their children and telling of God’s great deeds; erecting stones of remembrance; celebrating feasts such as the Passover, and so on.

The Root of Forgetting God
There are many ways we forget God and many causes for our ungodly memory dysfunction. The psalmist in Psalms 78 reveals a major truth about this memory problem.
“That the generation to come might know…That they should put their confidence in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments, and not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not prepare its heart and whose spirit was not faithful to God.” Psalm 78:6-8 (NASB)

So what is at the root of the problem? We see some clues in verses 6 to 8, such as, the statement that they should put their confidence in God, which implies the generation before did not put their confidence in God but in something or someone else. We know Israel put their confidence in idols, in worldly practices of the nations around them, in pacts with other nations to protect them, and in their own wisdom.

Also, we see that they forgot the “works of God,” the great ways He delivered them and the mighty deeds He did on their behalf. It is further revealed that they forgot God’s law and how to obey it from the heart. They set their will up against God’s and so they are called a stubborn and rebellious generation.

The most revealing clue is in the phrase “a generations that did not prepare its heart.”

Prepare Your Heart
What does this phrase mean? It comes from a Hebrew term that means: to establish; to make provisions for; to make preparation for; to plan. In other words these people did not make provision to be faithful to God. They did not establish themselves in their relationship with God by planning to remain faithful to God.

Most of us have plans for our future. We make plans for our children. We plan to save money. We plan for our education,our vacation, our careers, our homes, our families, etc. We plan to be faithful to our spouse – even to the point of saying vows of love and faithfulness before others regarding our marriage relationship. Yet what about our relationship with God? What is my plan to remain faithful to God? What is your plan?

Note well: There is much to learn on this topic of “forgetting God.” Future blogs will add more to these thoughts. For now it is good to reflect on your memory of God, of His goodness and mighty deeds in His Word, as well as in your life.

What is your plan to remember God every day?
Think beyond your usual prayer and Bible reading!

My Father’s Eyes

I am a visual freak, so to speak. I am not an artist, photographer or designer, but I love looking at color and light and how they play off one another, especially outside in nature. I can look out my window at the same scene in our yard anytime during the day, and I will see something different and uniquely beautiful depending on the angle of the sun light. The same leaves on a tree can appear golden at one point in the morning, while shimmery silver at another time, even the shadows create beauty.

I am on a journey of losing my eyesight through macular degeneration. This has caused me to focus more on what I see around me, and what I see spiritually.

My Eyesight Affects My Life
I strive for clarity in my physical eyesight as well as in the eyes of my heart. I need clear vision in my spiritual life, to find my way with God and man. The eyes through which I see other people, my relationships, events, trials/difficulties, achievements, etc., in my life will make a significant difference in my faith and how I live out that faith in my life.

When I am hurt by another person, do I see them as someone to avoid, and complain about; or, do I see them through God’s eyes of forgiveness and patient endurance?

When my children behave in ways that embarrass me, do I see them with eyes of condemnation, shame and despair; or, do I see them through God’s eyes of grace and persevering love?

When I am passed over for some position, promotion or honor, do I look at those who made the decision with bitterness and anger; or do I see it as God working out what is best for me, and do I look for His will and His timing?

When I struggle with physical illness or limitations, such as my weakening eyesight, do I look at God with accusing eyes, and charge Him with not loving me; or do I look to Him with faith and seek to surrender my will?

In 1979, Amy Grant released a song entitled, “My Father’s Eyes.” In the song, Amy Grant sings of how she wants to see people and life through the eyes of God so much so that when she dies, she will be recognized in eternity by the fact that she has “her Father’s eyes.”

Eyes of the Father: Compassion
Jesus reveals to us the eyes of the Father. In Mark 1:40-45 Jesus meets a leper on the road. Jesus looked at the leper through eyes of compassion and healed him. The scripture says; “Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, v.31.

Leprosy was not pleasant to look at, smell or touch, but it moved Jesus to compassion and action.

Sin is like leprosy, it rots our heart. It distorts our character and disposition. It is not pleasant to be around a person ruled by a sin, such as anger, bitterness, addictions, pride, and so on. The question for me is: How do I look at someone who is struggling with sin? Do I have compassion and reach out or do I draw back?

Take it a step further, how do I look at someone who is different from me, or from societies “nice” norms? Someone who is homeless or very poor? How do I view someone who is uneducated; someone who dresses on a weird style; or someone who has a disability?  Do I avoid them or reach out to them?

Eyes of the Father: Grace
In John 8:1-11 Jesus meets an adulterous woman. She was, so to speak, thrown at Jesus’ feet. The men who brought her to Jesus expected Him to look on her with condemnation.

According to the Law, she was to be stoned, but Jesus looked at her through the Father’s eyes of mercy. In mercy He released her. He moved the men from condemnation to grace. Each man dropped his stone and turned away.

When someone has sinned, most especially when someone has personally sinned against me, am I willing to drop my stones; the stone of judgement; the stone of accusation; the stone of blame; the stone of condemnation or revenge?

Eyes of the Father: Love
In Mark 10:17-27, a young ruler talks to Jesus about eternal life. This young man seems to have it all: wealth, status, power and a relationship with God. Yet, when Jesus asked him to give up the one thing that he loved more than God, he couldn’t do it. He struggled and walked away sad.

Even though Jesus knew this man would reject Him, the scripture states, “Jesus looked at him and loved him,” verse 21.

God looks at us in love even when we struggle to do what is right. When we fail, there is love. When we turn away from God, He watches for our return with eyes of love, Luke 15:11-32.

God does not overlook sin, but rather He chooses to look at us through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus.

What do I choose to see? Do I look at people who are struggling with eyes of love or frustration? Do I look at those who fail me with eyes of love or accusation? Do I look at people who turn away from God with mercy and perseverance, or do I write them off as lost causes?

Do You Have the Father’s Eyes?
As a disciple of Jesus, I would like to think I have my Father’s eyes, but after reviewing these passages I have had to examine my vision more deeply. So, today when I pray for my physical eyesight, I will more urgently pray for my spiritual eyesight, to have my Father’s eyes.
What about you dear Reader? Maybe, it is time for an eye exam?