Desire for Intimacy with God

She approached me in a coffee shop. I was new in town, and the instant I pushed open the door the smooth, grounding aroma of coffee ingulfed my senses. In this instant I knew I had happened upon a local gem.

Settling in with my computer in one of four, identical wing back chairs, the ceramic logs in the stone fireplace created a warm, homey environment.

Immediately I became immersed in my writing. Words and coffee, they flowed nicely together; but it wasn’t long before I noticed that the tables outside were being cleaned, chairs straightened, and lights dimmed. I had not thought to look at the sign on the door when I came in. Sighing, I realized, they were closing.

She came towards me. I don’t know if it was her welcoming smile, her boho-chic outfit, or the fact that she easily opened a conversation with a total stranger.

“Please don’t rush, she said, we have a lot of clean-up to do. Take your time and enjoy the quiet.”

Smiling she walked away, only to return later to deepen our initial introduction. In the quiet of a closing shop, she eased into a chair next to me. It had obviously been a long day. I learned that she was the owner of this delightful place. As I looked around at the artsy, warm décor, I saw that it suited her and realized that the place, and the owner drew me in.

We talked long passed closing time. My computer now quiet, my coffee now cold, the hope of friendship in a new town becoming a hopeful reality.

Have you ever met someone and immediately thought, I want to get to know this person better?

Something clicked. You felt a soul-tug that drew you in. Commonality of thought, style, or interests caused a lasting desire for connection.

This has happened to me often; but most recently, this thought has been directed towards God.

Intimacy with God

Do we have this same desire for God? Does our soul-tug lead us into His presence often?

Does our heart say;

“God, I desire to know you more. To dive deep into your endless love. To begin to understand what your heart, beats after. To see people and situations through your eyes. Eyes of love. Eyes of compassion. Eyes of patience. Eyes of understanding and justice. Eyes that read the hearts of men and women and know exactly what they need at the soul level.”

Lately, my heart has been crying out for God to give me a deeper desire, to know Him more intimately. To dive deep into God’s love. To come to know the height, depth, and breadth of what the love of God looks like in my life, and in the lives of those I love.

My heart continues to cry out;

“God, I want to live life with a renewed passion of glorifying You in all I do. To listen well to the voice of the Holy Spirit’s leading, and to answer obediently. Even when I don’t fully understand the “whys” behind your holy prompting.”

Psalm 63:1-11 (ESV) gives to us a scripture prayer from the Psalmist David when he was in the wilderness of Judah. If you desire to know God more intimately, It is my hope that David’s prayer will become yours as well.

“O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, …” Amen

LINDA JANE DINGELDEIN: DIFFERENT BY DESIGN

LINDA JANE DINGELDEIN PHOTOGRAPHY

MIXED MEDIA BY LINDA JANE DINGELDEIN

Linda Jane Dingeldein salutes Warren, PA and it’s local town warmth.