The Quest for Intimacy scripture reading: Matthew 19:16–22 key verses: Matthew 22:37–38 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment.” To experience genuine intimacy with Christ, you must be willing to lay down your love for the things of this world. This doesn’t mean giving up peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. But it does mean your desire for God and His fellowship exceeds your friendship with the world. God wants to bless you, yet blessings must never become what you seek above the Blesser. A. W. Tozer commented on the quest for intimacy: There can be no doubt that this possessive clinging to things is one of the most harmful habits in the Christian life. Because it is so natural, it is rarely recognized for the evil that it is. But its outworkings are tragic. We are often hindered from giving up our treasures to the Lord out of fear for their safety. This is especially true when those treasures are loved relatives and friends. But we need to have no such fears. Our Lord came not to destroy but to save. Everything is safe which is so committed. The rich young ruler found in Jesus what he had been looking for all his life (Matt. 19:16–22). However, in his heart his material possessions outweighed the need to follow Christ. You may have given yourself to the Lord, but have you laid aside your love and desire for the world’s riches? The greatest obstacle to knowing God is self–love. Make sure you don’t fall prey to it. O Lord, purge me of desire for riches of this world. I know You are able to keep all I commit into Your hands. In You, I have found the greatest treasure.
Posted on: Thu, 21 Nov 2013 09:57:00 +0000
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