Intimate With Jesus
INTIMATE
WITH JESUS
“Jesus said to him, ‘Have
I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip?’” (John 14:9)
T
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hese words were not
spoken as a rebuke, nor even with surprise; Jesus was encouraging Philip to
draw close. Yet the last person we get intimate with is Jesus. Before Pentecost
the disciples knew Jesus as the One who gave them power to conquer demons and
to bring about a revival (see Luke 10:18-20). It was a wonderful intimacy, but
there was a much closer intimacy to come: “. . . I have called you friends . .
.” (John 15:15). True friendship is rare on earth. It means identifying with
someone in thought, heart, and spirit. The whole experience of life is designed
to enable us to enter into this closest relationship with Jesus Christ. We
receive His blessings and know His Word, but do we really know Him?
Jesus said, “It is to your advantage that I go away . . .”
(John 16:7). He left that relationship to lead them even closer. It is a joy to
Jesus when a disciple takes time to walk more intimately with Him. The bearing
of fruit is always more shown in Scripture to be the visible result of an
intimate relationship with Jesus Christ (see John 15:1-4).
Once we get intimate with Jesus we
are never lonely and we never lack for understanding or compassion. We can
continually pour out our hearts to Him without being perceived as overly
emotional or pitiful. The Christian who is truly intimate with Jesus will never
draw attention to himself but will only show the evidence of a life where Jesus
is completely in control. This is the outcome of allowing Jesus to satisfy
every area of life to its depth. The picture resulting from such a life is that
of the strong, calm balance that our Lord gives to those who are intimate with
Him.+ + + + + + + + + +
MY
UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST
OSWALD
CHAMBERS
Edited
by James Reimann
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