It’s a privilege to spend time with a couple before marriage. It’s wonderful to see how they gradually grow closer to each other. They get to know each other so well that they often finish each other’s sentences. 

They start to develop such a good understanding that they can anticipate each other’s needs. They know what they can do to make each other happy, and what they should rather not do, because it could cause irritation or tension. 

God is much closer to us than a spouse. Athey Music’s song, Closer than a brother, is about this: I’m not alone, I’m not alone, And I’m forgiven, I’m not forsaken, I’m not alone, I’m not alone, You’re closer than a brother, Closer than a brother.  

You see, God lives in us. We stand in an intimate relationship with Him. He knows exactly what is going on inside us. He knows what we’re thinking. He knows what makes us suffer. He knows what makes us laugh. 

But I sometimes wonder why it doesn’t always work as easily the other way round. Why do we sometimes struggle to know what’s going on in God’s heart? Why isn’t it always clear what He thinks, or what is pleasing to Him? 

I think perhaps this is because we dedicate too much of our time and energy to our own dreams, plans, thoughts, and possessions. Our own selves sometimes receive the most attention, and we do not always make the effort to involve God. 

It’s not necessarily bad to have dreams or to want to take on things. But when it becomes one-way traffic — when we only talk and never listen — the other party moves further and further away. And before you know it, there’s no intimate relationship left. 

15Everyone who confesses that Jesus is God’s Son participates continuously in an intimate relationship with God. 

It’s actually very simple: When you say you believe in Jesus and that He came to free you from a burden you could never bear yourself, a relationship with God begins. This is made possible by the Holy Spirit who now lives inside you. 

But for us as humans, that relationship doesn’t always come naturally. It’s something we have to learn and grow in. We have to figure out what our side of the relationship asks. And this takes time, attention, and deliberate choices. It’s not something that just happens by itself. 

Here’s the first suggestion for keeping the relationship well-oiled: 17God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. 

Our acts of love, particularly when expressed through helping others, mirror God’s actions. Consequently, we live out His heart in the world. 

When people perceive God’s love through us, demonstrated not just in our words but also in our actions, it draws us even closer to Him. We resonate with God’s heart: He cares for people, and so do we. 

So, love others. Let people see something of God’s heart in how you act, because it’s that love that connects you to Him.  

Scripture
1 John 4:7-21 

Reflection
How intimate is your relationship with God?
How much of His love do you live each day?
Where do you need to do some work? 

Prayer
Father, thank you that You and Your spirit live in me. I long for a more intimate relationship with You. Amen.