Yearning for closeness

I love spending time with El. One of the reasons I wanted to marry him was because we were such good friends and I liked being around him. Willard Harley (Marriage Builders) suggests married couples spend at least 15 hours a week to develop intimacy and build love deposits. This is about 2.5 hours a day. If you think about it, the more enjoyable time you spend with someone the more you want to be around them. And when you can't be around them, you feel sad. When I am unable to spend substantial time with just El, I feel depressed. I'm selfish when it comes to El. I don't want to share him with anyone else. I don't need thrills or any special things when I'm with him. I just need El. I yearn for closeness and intimacy with El and sometimes I think this can be overwhelming for him. It is humanly impossible for El to fulfill all of my needs. In those times, I seek God's guidance especially when we are struggling to regain closeness during the busy seasons of our lives. 

However, in seeking guidance from the Lord, I was reminded of how much God wants to spend time with just me in a close intimate relationship. No thrills. Nothing special. Just me. God is a selfish and jealous God (Exodus 34:14; 20:4-5). He doesn't like sharing us. He longs to spend time with just us. Oh how sorrowful God's heart must be when His children ignore Him or worship other gods. John 3:16 states that God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only son... What a mighty God we serve! God wants to be reconciled with us so much that He was willing to give His one and only Son to have a relationship with us (sinful people that don't even know Him). What an awesome God we serve! How great and merciful is He! 

The Lord yearns for closeness with you. Just you. Are you drawing nigh to God? Are you longing for a close and intimate relationship with Him as He is for you? Do you spend adequate time talking to Him, listening to Him, and pleasing Him? If you were brutally honest, what score would you receive for time spent with the Master? 
As I think about the times I may get lonely, I have to stop and think about how my Heavenly Father must feel at times. I don't want Him to allow things to happen in my life to make me draw nearer to Him. I want to draw nigh to Him on my own. And I don't want to call on Him only when I'm in need. I want to have a close intimate relationship of knowing Him everyday (John 17:3). I want to have the kind of relationship Enoch had with Him (Genesis 5:24). God is faithful. He never leaves us...we leave Him. He is waiting for us with open arms (1 Corinthians 16:23). He is yearning for closeness with us. Just us!

Do you yearn for closeness with God? If so, seek Him today. 
1. Listen to Him by reading His Word and obeying His statutes.
2. Talk to Him by praying about how His Word has inspired you or ask Him questions if you don't understand what He has said to you.
3. Just do it! Stop saying you'll start tomorrow. Spend more time with God today!
4. Make Him a priority. Don't give God your leftovers (your tired prayers at the end of the day; give Him your first fruits). Rise early to spend time with Him. Seek Him all throughout the day. 

God is yearning for closeness with you. Will you disappoint Him?