Jesus prayed “…that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me, and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. John 17:21-23a (NIV)
What does it mean to me “IN” Christ? One of my childhood pastors in Texas often preached from Colossians 1:27 “…Christ in you, the hope of glory.” To be in Christ - in tune with his voice, his heart, his will, his way, we must get close enough that we feel his heartbeat and hear His whisper in our ear.
After 3 and half decades of marriage one would think that a couple would know each other intimately anticipating each other’s thoughts and needs. However, my husband and I are still working on it. Intimacy in a loose understanding could be explained with the question, “are you into me?” Are you so close to your spouse that you know their desires? Sometimes we get it right and other times we miss the mark. The key to intimacy is communication and quality time in each other’s presence.
The same goes with our relationship with the Lord. Communication (prayer) and spending time in His presence are what foster a closeness and intimacy with God. Are you really into Him? Some people only seek or encounter the presence of the Lord in church, but our time in the closet of prayer and intimacy with God are more important that our public preaching and worship.
I love corporate worship. I’ll sing, shout, and dance with the best of you. I love great preaching which is why I married my favorite preacher. But if my relationship with the Lord was dependent on exuberant worship, fine music, and his anointed preaching, my relationship with the Lord would be shallow. It’s in the secret place, when no one else is watching or listening, that I hear and feel Christ in me and me in Him. The depths of my soul are refreshed, renewed, and restored in the prayer closet. That’s where my ear is open to his voice and my head is up against his breast like John the beloved. (Jn.13:25)
When your mother birthed you, the nurse wiped you off and placed you on her chest. With your ear against her bosom, you could hear her heartbeat and feel the pulse of her blood pumping much like while in her womb. Great comfort is found in the closeness of resting like a baby in our Abba’s arms. I want to be so into Christ that my heart beats in rhythm with the Father and the Spirit doesn’t have to speak 2-3 times before I “get it” (see 1 Samuel 3:1-10). Let’s finely tune our spiritual antennae to Jesus and the work He is doing.
We had a lovely staff couple some years back who were talented, anointed, current, good hearted, but they were always wanting to see what other churches were doing. Let’s research other successful churches and follow their patterns and models of structure, worship styles, and social media presence. Rather than comparing with everyone else (2 Cor. 10:12), my naïve suggestion of “let’s pray and seek God’s direction for this house” was met with rolled eyes like I was out of touch and super spiritual as the pastor of prayer ministries.
If we spend more time on social media and watching news than we do in the secret place, then what goes in is what is going to come out. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Some Christians of my generation are more interested in Facebook than what I call facetime with Jesus.
I still believe God is speaking to those who will listen if we get off our phones and devices long enough to hear His voice above the noise of others. Instead of calling for another brainstorming staff meeting, why not call on the Lord in a protracted unhurried prayer meeting? (Much like an earnest group of students in the Lee University Chapel spring of 2023 who prayed and quietly worshipped for several continuous days)
In 2013 Kari Jobe recorded a song that I frequently prayed/sang during my private time with the Lord when my husband was serving as the General Overseer of the Church of God.
The more I seek youThe more I find you.The more I find you, the more I love you.
I want to sit at your feetDrink from the cup in your handLay back against you and breath, feel your heartbeat.This love is so deep, it's more than I can standI melt in your peace, it's overwhelming.
If we remain intimate with Christ, we can be one heartbeat away from the answers we seek, the solutions to our problems, and the comfort and guidance we so desperately need. We must humble ourselves, slow down, and listen to the sound of His voice and feel the pulse of Jesus’ blood flowing through our veins. Get intimate with and in Christ. There you will find closeness, confidence, and courage to go, be, and do what He wants for you.
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