The older I get the more I think that anything of true worth ( although maybe freely given ) requires a degree of inconvenience on my part. I wonder how much of an inconvenience was it for the 120 who waited for the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room. I mean they probably had jobs, families and a number of other things that they could have been doing with their time. Although we don't actually know the timing between the ascension and the Holy Spirit falling...I'm sure it was to the point of exhaustion, hunger and maybe even boredom. These people pushed past their flesh to hold on to the promise Jesus made them. Yet I get fidgety after being in church for 3 hours....I'll stay in worship for a while but then I get hungry and head for the door...and I call myself a lover of God. Which I do love him and the good work that he began in me will be completed...because of his amazing grace and love haha.
In Acts 20, Paul preached so long that a man fell out of a window because he had fallen asleep! I actually do understand this....often I go into my room and lock the door and start praying.....9 times out of 10.....I'm dead asleep within an hour. Hahahaha :-) The point is....yes we are all human and we don't do everything perfect.....but if you will inconvenience yourself past the point of comfort....God will meet you and it will be the BEST time of your Life!
"Better is one day in your courts then a thousand elsewhere!"- psalm 84:10
The result of God meeting you is Intimacy. Let me say this....intimacy is not a 2 minute prayer of complaints ( that is a conniption fit ;) ), it isn't a Wednesday night jumping up and down singing " take take take it all!" and it even isn't reading a chapter in your bible every night....these things are great but.....this intimacy is according to Wikipedia...
Intimacy generally refers to the feeling of being in a close personal association and belonging together.It is a familiar and very close affective connection with another as a result of a bond that is formed throughknowledge and experience of the other. Genuine intimacy in human relationships requires dialogue,transparency,vulnerability and reciprocity. As a verb "intimate" means "to state or make known". The activity of intimating (making known) underpins the meanings of "intimate" when used as a noun and adjective. As a noun, an "intimate"
is a person with whom we have a particularly close relationship. As an adjective, "intimate" indicates detailed knowledge of a thing or person (e.g. "an intimate knowledge of engineering" and "an intimate relationship between two people").[4]
I LOVE THAT! It is a bond that is formed through knowledge and experience of each other! How close can you get to Jesus? How deep does your relationship go with him? Well....as much as you allow it to.....as much as you "inconvenience" yourself. I mean isn't this true in things of the natural as well? Example...dating or courting...whatever your flavor is...requires time on the phone, hanging out and just getting close to that individual...but then when you get married you are granted intimacy. Funny story....I was staying with a couple who I absolutely adore! They are such role models in my life and I give honor to them for living their lives for Christ. Anyway I was sleeping on a mattress in the living room floor and the wife came to sleep with me so I wouldn't be alone...and I said " you aren't going to
sleep with ____?" she said " not tonight I didn't want you to be alone." and I
said " you're crazy....I'd love to have a husband to sleep with." which we both started laughing but that is kinda what got me thinking about this....as a married couple they have access to things that I don't...yet. Here is where it ties in....if you are a lover of God....you are the bride of Christ! You are granted access to him...jump in get as much as you dare! Christ longs for you more than you could ever
long for him...run into him! Somethings that are true in the natural are also true in the supernatural...the bible warns married couples not to "hold out" on one another besides prayer and fasting. SO if that is true in the natural how on earth do we think we can make it without intimacy with God? Lack of Intimacy will weaken the relationship. Intimacy requires quality time....when I was reading the 5 love
languages God turned around and used it on me haha. My top two are Quality time and physical touch and one day God said " Tegan, you have been trying to love me with acts of service but what I want from you right now is your time and your touch. You are trying to love me like Martha...but I want you to love me like Mary." WOW!
38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"
41"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42but only one thing is needed.[f] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
Jesus said Mary has chosen what is better! I definitely want to be a Mary! She was after the same thing that the 120 in the upper room were after...the pearl of great price! We have access to that! Look at the people in the old testament.....they talked to God and had experiences with God....and yet most of us never will have those type of experiences...yet they were under a weaker covenant. So something is
wrong and it sure isn't God...it is his good pleasure to give us all this and more! We have access! So its our choice....what will you choose?
