“Intimacy with God comes with a price. Are we willing to pay it? The price of intimacy looks like a constant emptying; like pouring water from a bucket that never runs out. Intimacy’s invitation asks for confession but in turn gives grace; it desires repentance while granting mercy.”- Timothy D. Willard
Timothy Willard concludes Chapter 15 of The Beauty Chasers with some simple strategies for cultivating spiritual intimacy. Timothy opens with a question Dr. Randolph, his tutor and spiritual leader, asked him. A student of biblical languages, Dr. Randolph asked Tim why we study Scripture in the original language. When Tim said nothing, Dr. Randolph answered his own question: “Because we love God’s Word.”
Hence, as Timothy slowly fell in love with God’s Word, he found his study of the Bible no longer felt like study at all. Instead, the author began a journey into intimacy with the Almighty. And Dr. Randolph’s one simple question continues to shape Tim as a disciple of Christ: Do you love the Word?
Consequently, Tim offers the following strategies:
1. Get intense and intentional about your time in God’s Word. Thus, use caution so that digital content such as podcasts don’t push Scripture reading to the margins in your daily life. Certainly, the Word of God is living. However, it’s not an instant-fix-it-button way.
2. Commit to reading Scripture, pray through it. Above all, embrace change when confronted with the truth of God’s Word.
3. In addition, work through an entire book of the Bible. Also, as you study, work through the cultural context, the perspective of the author, and the purpose of the message or story.
4. Finally, keep an open eye on how extra-biblical study consumes your time. Because your main focus consists of diving into the Word. As a result, use any additional resources to help bring the Bible to life in your imagination.
Today’s question: What Bible verses sustain you as you pay the price of intimacy with God? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Live unaffected by the world”
