The Price of Intimacy with God
Pursuing God
There are certain things God plans to do that are not conditioned upon any response from man—steps He plans to take regardless of our responses. But there are many things He promises to us that are completely conditional.
One of these is seeing and experiencing Him in increasing intimacy. Consider both an Old Testament and New Testament instruction:
“To him who orders his way aright I will show the salvation of God” (Psalm 50:23 NASB).
Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14).
Both of these verses (and many more) remind us that God will not reveal Himself in greater intimacy to an individual who is not interested ... to someone who will not pay the price of holiness.
This in no way implies that we can earn an audience with God by our works. We come into His presence (which we can do) because we have an introduction, through Christ Jesus, into this “grace in which we [now] stand” (Romans 5:1-2).
But, we must COME. Those who see Him most clearly and deeply are those who long for Him; who pursue Him; who listen to His instructions for their lives and, by His grace and through the power of His indwelling Spirit, cooperate with Him.
Why would God continue to reveal Himself to one who has no interest, who will not seek for Him while He may be found and call on Him while He is near?
The Choice Is Yours
If you sense that you are distant from God, He is not the One who has moved. And the instructions of Scripture are clear to us on the action that must be taken: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to You” (James 4:8).
Pay attention to holiness. Be intentional about all that He has already said to you. Set aside deliberate time to fast, pray, and read and meditate on His Word. Be extremely careful about your obedience.
And then, cry out to Him for greater intimacy. For as clear as His conditions are for you to see Him, they are clearly promised! He desires to reveal Himself to you more than you are aware, for He is a God of perfect love toward you.
It is hard for our finite minds to grasp, but He longs for intimacy with those He created, and that includes you. He made you to walk with Him in the coolness of the day. It is only our prideful independence and willful disobedience that are aborting this intimacy.
Responding in Prayer:
Father, search my heart. Show me the ways that I have been negligent in pursuing intimacy with You. I cry out to You for the grace to seek You in holiness. Give me a heart willing to pay whatever price the joy of Your presence requires. In Jesus’ name, let it be so.