Reverent Intimacy

My heart is captured by some thoughts that I read last night in the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan. I love his insight into our spending time with God each day, reading His Word and talking with Him.

"Jesus didn't command that we have a regular time with Him each day. Rather, He tells us to 'love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' He called this the 'first and greatest commandment.' (Matthew 22:37-28) The results are intimate prayer and study of His Word."

And the author goes on to describe this "reverent intimacy" that we can have with our great Creator God. It's not a one-sided relationship, focused on our human efforts to love our God ... but it is a two-sided relationship.

Being the mom of six children, it helps me to compare this to our relationship with our children. Just as we as parents are filled with joy when our children choose to spend time with us and share their hearts with us, our God longs for us, as His children, to freely delight in Him and to love spending time with Him, choosing to live our days in continual communication with Him.

Lord, this takes my breath away. Not only do I desire You this morning, but You also long for me. Thank You for Your perfect, unending love for me ...

"How precious are Your thoughts about me, O God.

They cannot be numbered!

I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand!

And when I wake up, You are still with me!"

(Psalm 139:17-18)