Intimacy with God

Lately, this week mostly, I have been feeling a tad distant from my husband.  Oh, nothing's wrong in our relationship.  It's just that with my bum leg (see Saturday's post), we aren't taking our usual hour-long walk every day.  We're used to talking . . . a lot.  We review our day, analyze our kids (surely we're not the only ones that do this!), and generally catch up.  But lately, our talking is late at night and brief.  In short, I'm missing him.  Funny how you can live side by side and still be lonely for someone. 

But, lest my dear one feel pressure to demonstrate his love and attention in other ways, I need to face my own true needs.  Is Dennis the panacea to all my loneliness?  God did say, It is not good for man [or woman] to be alone (Genesis 2:18).  But this same God also said through the Psalmist, Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you (Psalm 73). 

He meant me for relationship, talking and listening, most especially relationship with Him.  All of our married-couple talk cannot fill the gap that God meant for Himself.  My deepest intimacy needs to be with God, my pourings-out primarily to Him, my ego stroked by an understanding of His wrath poured out on Another for me.  This is life itself, knowing God intimately. 

Such a thought, that the King of the universe bids me into His very presence.  He makes Himself known to me in His Word and His world, and beckons me to reciprocate.  This oft-quoted statement by Augustine applies:  "Thou madest us for Thyself, and our heart is restless, until it repose in Thee."  (Don't you love that in the old English?)  Let us repose, then, in Him. 

Yes, building relationships is important, making time for conversation with my sweetheart is a key to our marriage, and living life with others is necessary, but let us not be so busy doing all of that that God gets our leftovers.  He is the only One, really and truly, that can fill those holes in our hearts left empty by everyone else. 

Having said all of that, I am definitely looking forward to a 3-hour drive alone with Dennis this afternoon.