His Heart, My Home

“The grace (favor and spiritual blessing) of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the presence and fellowship (the communion and sharing together, and participation) in the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen (so be it).”
(2 Corinthians 13:14, Amplified Classic Edition)

Communion with God is built on the foundation of our understanding and accepting the reality of our union with Christ.

The goal of our communion with God is to respond to His love and allow Holy Spirit to bring us to a place of greater intimacy with Him.

Here are three ways we can achieve that goal:

● Cherish intimacy with God by remembering His faithfulness and love.

One way to do this is to revisit those times in our lives when the Lord has delivered us, healed us, protected us and blessed us. Another way is to remember His giving Himself as a sacrifice for us.

The Lord commanded us to receive communion “in remembrance” of Him. (1 Corinthians 11:23-25)

This Greek word for remember (anamnesis) means “to reflect; to recollect; to recall; to remind.

We could think of communion as allowing Him to refresh the reality of His amazing love and grace in our minds and hearts.

Remembering the love that Jesus showed in His suffering and death for us, rekindles the flame of our gratitude, reignites our commitment to live for Him, and reinflames our passion to share His love with others.

● Cultivate intimacy with God through His Word.

A person who consistently meditates in God’s Word is described this way:

“He will be standing firm like a flourishing tree planted by God’s design, deeply rooted by the brooks of bliss, bearing fruit in every season of his life. He is never dry, never fainting, ever blessed, ever prosperous”. 
(Psalm 1:3, Passion Translation)

The Hebrew word (shatal = transplanted) used in this analogy tell us this “tree” didn’t grow from a seed that was randomly dropped in this prime location. This “tree” was “transplanted” to this place near a constant source of water by God’s design to insure the tree’s health, prosperity and fruitfulness for many years to come.

The roots of the “tree” go deep clinging to the well-watered soil. The soil holds the roots in an intimate embrace. The water satisfies every need of the “tree”.

Everyone say, “That tree is me!“

When we (meditate) contemplate and reflect on God’s Word, we will know Him more, love Him more deeply, experience a more intimate communion with Him, and reflect more of His glory.

● Cling to intimacy with God through prayer, praise, and worship.

In the Old Covenant, God was sometimes referred to as the “father” of the nation of Israel, but never as our personal Father, until Jesus began to teach His disciples about the relational reality of God as our Father.

Christians, unique to every other culture and  people-group on earth, can refer to God, the Creator of the universe, the Eternally-Existant One, as “Father”.

Only Christians can have and enjoy that type of intimacy with God.

There are times of crisis in life when our hearts desperately cling to the lifeline of Abba-Father’s mercy and grace.

The word “Abba”, is used three times in the Bible, always as part of the phrase “Abba ho Pater” that
combines the Aramaic word “Abba”, with the Greek word “Pater”.
(Mark 14:36; Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6)

This name for God combines the concepts of trusting intimacy (Abba) and obedience (Pater). It speaks of someone who is bigger, stronger, and in control.

Thus, we “cry out” (Greek word = krazo) to our Abba-Father in our times of deepest need!

This word is used to describe the heart-cry of:

》Two blind men desperate to receive their sight
   (Matthew 20:29-34)

》The father of a demon-tormented son
    (Luke 9:37-43)

》The mother of a demon-oppressed daughter
    (Matthew 15:22-29

》Peter, sinking into the raging sea of Galilee
    (Matthew 14:22-23)

》Jesus, as He breathed His last breath
    (Matthew 27:50)

The good news is we don’t have to wait for a crisis to feel the loving arms of our Father as He gives us comfort, strength and grace. He is continually available to us, as close as our next breath.

We are the offspring of our Abba-Father, one spirit with Him, and He longs to meet our every need as we depend upon Him.
(1 Corinthians 6:17)

Our spirit-to-Spirit interactions with Him through prayer, praise, and worship bring us into a deeper, more intimate communion with Him.

“But you, beloved, build yourselves up on [the foundation of] your most holy faith [continually progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], pray in the Holy Spirit…”
(Jude 1:20, Amplified Bible)

“For God is a Spirit, and He longs to have sincere worshipers who adore Him in the realm of the Spirit and in truth.”
(John 4:24, The Passion Translation)

Let’s cherish intimacy with Father-God by remembering His faithfulness and love.

Let’s cultivate intimacy with Father-God through His Word.

And let’s cling to intimacy with Father-God through prayer, praise, and worship.