We’ve often heard how Christianity differs from other world faiths—”It’s a relationship, not a religion.” While this is a glorious truth, how many of us believe it? Or, to put it better, how many of us ACT AS IF we believe it?

Most of us express our faith in Jesus by duties we perform. We go to church regularly; we volunteer our time or invest our money in worthy social projects; we work to provide for our family; we schedule devotional reading, Bible studies, and times for corporate and/or private prayer. We’re busy doing what we think will please the Lord and help us grow in our faith walk with Him. But how many of us intentionally spend time just hanging out with Jesus, with no agendas, lists to check off, or people to impress with our spirituality?

There’s only one way for any relationship to deepen: By spending intimate time together. These interactions must be one on one, with no audiences to play to, or tasks to fulfill. When we truly love someone, we find excuses to get together for no other reason than to enjoy each other’s company. It doesn’t matter what we DO together … sharing a meal, watching a sunset, discussing our observations of some event, or just recalling memories we share. When loving trust is established, we can find joy in any setting … as long as we’re with the one who’s most important to us. This kind of interaction is what God longs for with His people. But in our fast-paced, efficiency-crazed world of commerce and success, we’re intimidated by the idea of just hanging out without an agenda to fulfill.

I enjoy reading the Song of Songs in the Old Testament because it calls us into something deeper. Written as a love song between two human lovers, it also beautifully portrays the kind of intimate relationship we can enjoy with our God. Like the poet, we can dare to say: “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—for your love is more delightful than wine. Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes; your name is like perfume poured out” (Song of Songs 1:2-3). Is our relationship with God intimate enough to say these things without embarrassment, reproach, or shame? Have we gotten to know Him well enough to fully appreciate His surpassing beauty, perfection, power, and glory? “My beloved is radiant and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand … His mouth is sweetness itself; he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, this is my friend” (5:10, 16).

Is this kind of intimate fellowship only available to a few in God’s family? Is it only for women and children? Or can it be enjoyed by everyone who bears His name? The prophet Hosea was given a glimpse, through the revelation of the Holy Spirit, into God’s heart towards His people. Instructed to keep loving and reaching out to his sinful wife, Hosea became a picture of God’s lovingkindness towards His wayward people. He promises to forgive and restore her (His bride) if she’ll only return to Him.

“I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor [trouble] a door of hope. There she will respond as in the days of her youth … I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the Lord” (Hosea 2:14-20).

God’s love is unlike human love. It endures forever; it’s unchanging in quality or intensity in all circumstances. It’s so steadfast we can stake our lives on it. At no time will He forget, abandon, or fail us. But sometimes we struggle, not knowing how to invest in a relationship with someone we can’t see or touch. We might think it’s folly to seek intimacy with such a high and holy God. But “the man after God’s own heart,” King David, was unabashed in describing his relationship with God as close, sweet, and satisfying. “Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. Surely I have a delightful inheritance. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. You will show me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:5-11, NIV, NKJV). And he’s not alone. Charles Spurgeon, the “prince of preachers” we all admire for his biblical knowledge wrote in one of his devotionals: “Do not men of grace find their Lord to be camphire and spikenard, calamus and cinnamon, even now, and what better fragrance have they in heaven itself? What heavens are laid up in Jesus! What rivers of infinite bliss have their source, ay, and every drop of their fulness in Him! O sweet Lord Jesus, Thou art the present portion of Thy people … favour us with such a sense of Thy preciousness that we may be glad and rejoice in Thee.”

It’s intimacy with the Lord that will sustain us through hard times. Our job titles and tasks performed in His name aren’t what will bring comfort to us when we face discouragement, persecution, severe illness, or any other kind of calamity. In John 17:26 Jesus reveals in His prayer to the Father what is most important in our walk with Him: “I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” If we’re content to serve God in some master/servant role, reserving all joy in service to a future time, we’ll miss out on what can be ours right now. We can enjoy His “kisses”—His favor and blessing that are more delightful than wine—every day as we hang out with Him. He wants us to trust Him so fully that we honestly share our joys, our failures, our hopes, and our concerns without fear of rebuke. He longs to make himself better known to us, if we will only make time for Him.  

My Lord and my God, help me establish a more intimate relationship with you by regularly drawing away from the busyness and distractions of life to spend quality time in your presence. Deepen my love and trust in you so I can say, “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.” (Song of Songs 6:3). In your holy name I pray, Amen.