Intimacy with God • John 17:1-5, 21-26
By Bobby McKay
It has been said love is spelled T-I-M-E. I tend to believe this the older I get. Love is shown through the time and moments we spend with the ones with whom we are the closest. On the contrary, the absence of presence can be an incredibly difficult part of life. Of all the various pains associated with the death of a loved one, the desire to spend more time with the ones we miss seems to be the most lasting.
In our silent, still, and lonely moments, we surmise if we were allowed just a few more moments with certain people, our yearning would be satisfied. Perhaps, on a deeper level, what we view as our desire to spend time with someone is a longing for intimacy.
As products of our Creator, we are designed to enjoy the love and companionship of others. This is manifested in marriage, family, close friends, and those with whom we worship or serve. With intimacy, we desire to know and be known as we are. We allow the self-made walls around us to crumble and grant permission for someone else to see our flaws, imperfections, hopes, and dreams.
For many, intimacy may appear to leave us vulnerable and in a way, it does. When we choose intimacy with someone, we are trusting the love we give to be both real and returned. Some have defined intimacy with the play on the phrase, “Into-me-see.” That adage may be well-worn, but there is still enough tread left on it to make us aware of the transparency required to give and receive true intimacy.
As believers, it should be our highest priority and passion to know God. Knowing God is possible through Divine revelation. His Word is a great place to begin if you want to achieve a deeper level of encountering and experiencing God.
When it comes to intimacy, we must be intentional in how we spend our time, the conversations in which we engage, and selflessness. Christ made it repeatedly evident in Scripture that He desired for others to see and experience the glory of God. The teachings, miracles, prayers, and life of Jesus wanted to honor His Father and point us to Him.
In our text this week, we read of Christ’s desire for His Father to be made glorified through Him on the cross. John 17:1 is the beginning of what is commonly referred to as The High Priestly Prayer. Christ is giving praise for what He accomplished during His earthly ministry. There was not one task the Father desired the Son to do while on earth that He did not complete.
How was this possible, and is it possible for you and me? The answer is in our obedience and intimacy. The longer we spend time with the Father, the greater our depth of obedience should be. This type of obedience will only come as we daily die to our flesh and cultivate godliness in our life. It is a matter of our focus.
We will land where we look. The struggle between the desires of this world and the drawing of the Spirit is a real battle for all Christians. Even the great Apostle Paul recognized this tug of war in his own life.
When we want closeness with God more than anything else in the world, God begins to mature us in ways we never dreamed. It is in His presence we see how fulfilling He is. In Him, we are complete and lack nothing. Intimacy highlights the blessings and benefits of being called His children.
One of the greatest challenges as children of God is to be united. It makes sense that if we are striving to be closer to God, intimacy would come more easily in the local church. Therein lies the problem. Too many people in our churches are consumed with their own agendas rather than God’s assignments. Too many people are plotting, and not enough are submitting to God’s plans.
Jesus prayed in John 17:23 for His church to have complete unity. He did not use the word conformity. The church is diverse, multi-ethnic, multi-generational, and is expressed in a variety of ways around the globe. That is our strength! Through it all, the one constant, unifying factor must be Jesus.
Have you ever realized you and I could be the answer to Jesus’ prayer? With each measured step toward intimacy, we are the answer to His prayer. With each intentional act or expression of unity, we are the answer to His prayer.
As you and I make our requests known to God, we should not forget to be willing to be the answer to His (Matt. 28:18-20).
McKay is pastor of Pleasant Grove Church, Brookhaven.
