Bible

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Benefits of Intimacy with God

~ Experiencing God's love enables us to extend His grace and mercy to others.

Scripture Reading:

"I do not call you slaves anymore, because a slave doesn’t know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from My Father." ~ John 15:15

In yesterday's devotional we mentioned we all want to be loved — in other words, to be fully known by another person yet still cherished and accepted on both our good days and bad. This kind of bond is hard to break since both people feel safe. Do you enjoy any relationships like this?

Research shows that this level of love and acceptance is lacking in many instances. For one thing, it’s hard to love someone else unconditionally, much less multiple “someones.” And we might naturally fear others can’t love us that way, either. So perhaps we hold back, afraid to fully expose our heart, lest we be judged or rejected.

But God invites us — and longs for us — to experience that kind of intimacy with Him. In today’s passage, He calls us His friends. If we are completely open with Him and fully trust that He loves us unconditionally, we can love others better. The Lord will also give us spiritual sensitivity and teach us to see people the way He does — as beloved children. We will then become more understanding and be able to extend the grace and mercy we ourselves have received:

"I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another." ~ John 13:34

• What’s one way you can give this type of love to someone else?
• More importantly, what’s one step you can take to cultivate a more intimate relationship with the Lord?

After all, that’s the foundation for everything else.
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~ published by: In Touch Ministries

https://www.intouch.org/read/daily-devotions/benefits-of-intimacy-with-god






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