Intimacy and Service - Alternating Brings Life

This section is going to be a visual picture of one golden verse in the Bible. But before we get there.... Let's talk about two things we see consistently in the Scriptures. There is a lot of focus on Intimacy with God. There is also a lot of focus on serving others. We often try to put one ahead of another. Most people are really give their time to one or the other. All some people want to do is enjoy the love and tender acceptance of Jesus and they forget about the other people in live who don't know that he loves them. Others are focused on serving other or telling others that Jesus cares about them and forget to just enjoy being with Jesus privately. However the scripture talks about both.

In a really healthy way Intimacy should ultimately lead to Service. The closer you become with God.... sensing His intimate love and concern for you will often lead you to care for others. We need to bask in this awareness of His commitment to us and not move on too quickly. However, later, as we know that we are loved.... we become secure and start to look outward and care about others.

On the opposite side.... when we are serving and choosing to care for others.... often the Lord will show Himself to us and we realize that we are the hands and feet of Jesus. Touching those who need to physically feel His protection, provision or care. As we talk, love, or serve others we begin to realize that He is loving others through us. Thus we are drawn back into being close to Him as His love and values live through us.

The more we alternate between receiving His love and then loving others.... the more life increases in us! As it grows and grows we become the incredible human beings that God intended us to be. Abundant life results! This means more friendships and deeper friendships, greater health in our love and lives, more passions for the good and noble things.... just increasing life from God manifest in the earth.

The Circles grow outward bigger and bigger and more life is released in us.

I think it is arguable to start with Intimacy. "We love, because He first loved us!" ( I John 4:19 ) We love ourselves, others and strangers because we know that Jesus loved us before we ever loved Him in return. It all starts with God. His love is received by us and then given to others in many different ways. However, not everyone starts there. Some people start by serving. They just know it is a good thing to do. And along the way they discover how much Jesus loves them. Which ever way is best ... great! The only important thing is to get started and Alternate between the two and watch life grow.

Refusing to be polarized to one extreme or the other brings Health. Don't just serve without getting personal with Jesus. Don't just be personal with Jesus without caring about others. There are many ways to show love.

Here is another picture of it: There are two pedals on a bicycle... on is the pedal of Intimacy with Jesus and the other is the pedal of Service to others. So... push down on the pedal of Intimacy with God... and you move forward.

When the pedal of Service to Others comes up.... push it down.... and you KEEP moving forward. If you refuse to push the Service pedal down... then you will coast to a stop! You can't move forward in Abundant life if you only push down one pedal or the other.

As you alternated and do BOTH - the result is that you move forward, consistently.... this is Abundant Life!

In the end this is really just a picture of the Great Commandment: Love God with all your heart and love others as yourself!

Matthew 22:37 "Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

If you are wondering about HOW to get Intimate with Jesus/God then be like Mary of Bethany in John 11 - just FOCUS on Jesus.... dig through Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and study His PERSONALITY and His CHARACTER. Honestly.... just look at who He is compared to anyone else in History and your heart will burn with love for Him. As you see how compassionate, honest, loving and tender He is with weak people who are trying to know Him.... your heart will RESPOND to Him in intense devotion and love*! Then we will fulfill I John 4:19 "We love, because He first loved us!" When you know He loves you... you, in time, will love yourself and others more and more. Joy results

* Note - The only time in the Gospels Jesus is angry is towards the religious leaders of the day who said the knew God and honored Him, read the Bible (Old Testament)... but who instead were focused on what everyone was doing wrong, were focused on accusation rather than mercy, focused on sin verses God's redemption.

Conclusion

We experience the best of life, healthy, vitality and joy as we alternate between being Intimate with Jesus and Serving (Loving) others! If we try to do just one or the other we don't grow nearly as quickly or with the same health! Basically this focus on both Intimacy and Service is just re-phrasing the Great Commandment of Jesus: Love God and Love others. The key to loving God is I John 4:19 "We love, because He first loved us!" We love Him because we know that He already loves us!

Questions? Comments? Email me at ChrisSarris@hotmail.com