God’s top priority for us is our deep intimacy with Him. And that intimacy shapes every ounce of impact our lives will have.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” — John 15:5
To start a journey, you have to know where you’re going. But of course the journey itself is the important part. And that journey should be shared with a friend. In this case, God is your best friend. Intimacy is just a fancy word for closeness.
God created the heavens and the earth (you can read about that in Genesis 1) so that we would have a place to be on a journey with Him. It is very similar to me and Glorystone. Similar to God, GloryStone was created before it started being populated with people. And God saw that it was good—good being well-pleasing, appealing, useful, profitable, and just a general state of well-being. Maybe this is a reflection of our image in God.
God gave us jobs. One of those, in Genesis 1:26, was to reign, to be fruitful and multiply, and to govern the earth. We are also to make it good.
To re-illustrate that point, Charles Stanley says that ability, beauty, intelligence, money, or anything else you might define yourself by will not change how God views you. It really comes down to how strong your relationship is with Him.
Why did Adam disobey God? That fruit would open his eyes. It was beautiful looking. It was delicious. And it would give wisdom. Though technically Eve is the one who ate first, Adam was still tempted by it. In the context of Genesis 3:10, when Adam said, “I was afraid because I was naked and I hid myself,” the question becomes: Why are you afraid to show God an area or part of your life? The answer is because it does not ultimately glorify Him. We do not necessarily glorify God the way we were meant to. That has been caused by the fall. The fall brought a strong desire for control and hostility between men and women, as well as between people and animals. Our lives became less effective because of our separation from God.
Look at John 17:1-5. Jesus makes it clear that eternal life is this: to know God. Point also to 1 Corinthians 15:22—“For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” We are given life by knowing Jesus and God the Father.
Do you want to live a life that is fulfilling and significant? When I read that question years ago in Billy Graham’s book The Journey, one line stopped me: if you want to know who you are, you have to know God—for the simple reason that He created you. That one line changed my life. I have been trying to know God more ever since.
Life Lessons to Remember
- God loves you and desires your fellowship and worship. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” — Deuteronomy 6:5
- God wants your service for Him to be effective and fruitful. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” — John 15:5
- God waits for you to invite Him to bless you. “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” — Revelation 3:20
This is the starting point of the journey. Intimacy with God first. Everything else flows from there.
John 17:1-5: After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
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