Victoria Aleman continues covering the Christian Ministries scene in Houston, interviewing leaders, giving us the "heads up" on happenings, and writing feature articles.  This issue she shares what real intimacy means to the Christian.

     After God's Own Heart

Jeremiah 31:3 "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with loving kindness I have drawn you." It is with this loving kindness He pursues me daily. God does not wait on me, but comes looking for me, longing to spend time with me. I know that I can do nothing to stop Him from loving me. But, so many times, I see how much He wants me to be near Him and don’t stop daily to check the condition of my heart.

The Bible says "Where your treasure is there your heart will be also." I know that many times I desire to spend time with God but because my Heart is not right, my spirit is unable to enjoy his presence. Sometimes there are obvious sins in my life I need to ask forgiveness for. Other times, I have to go before the Lord in prayer that He show me what is wrong.

Either way, if the issue goes un-addressed, it will gradually begin to cause problems in my relationship with God.

In dating, if I have started seeing someone new I won’t build a successful relationship with that person if I’m comparing them to someone else or wishing I was with someone else. Maybe, I just have trust issues to deal with from past relationships. It is the same way with God.

No matter how good our intentions, if we do not wholeheartedly seek Him, we cannot become more intimate with Him. In Psalm 51:10, King David wrote : "Create in me a clean heart, Oh God, and renew a right spirit within me." At this time, David was repenting for sleeping with Bathsheba. He loved the Lord more than anything else and praised Him daily but messed up. Before David could continue with the Lord, he knew he had to let God purify his heart. We need God to daily cleanse us so that we can grow more intimate with Him. "The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me." (Ps. 18:24) .

God washed away our sins with Christ's death. He wants to keep us close to Him that we may better understand His power & love. Cleansing our hearts prepares us to encounter Him...

Victoria Aleman