God Wants to Come Close to You

"That I myself may be in them" (John 17:26). These were the final words of Jesus' last recorded prayer, and they express His desire to be in us. I like the way the late Reverend Robb French said it:

"Adam and Eve had the privilege of walking with God in the cool of the day. That was wonderful. But God said, 'I want to come closer than that.'

"God came down on Mt. Sinai and invited Moses to enter into His very presence. There in that awesome majesty, God revealed His law. That was wonderful. But God said, 'I want to come closer than that. I want to enter into intimate fellowship with humanity.'

"So He commanded Moses to build a tabernacle. And in the tabernacle he placed the ark and the mercy seat. Then God came down. The Talmud claims that a pale blue light hovered over the mercy seat. God dwelt in the holy of holies in the tabernacle. But God said, 'I want to come closer than that.'

"Again God came down. This time in the form of human flesh. He was born as a babe and dwelt among us. He suffered and died for us, and yet amazingly, God said, 'I want to come closer than that.'

"'If you will tarry in the upper room, I will come down and move inside of you.' That is almost too sacred to talk about! What wonder! The triune God, in the person of the Holy Ghost, dwelling in this unworthy temple of mine!"

Dear Jesus, I am in awe that You desire to live in and through Your people. Make us worthy carriers of Your Holy Presence.

"Have you forgotten that your body is now the sacred temple of the Spirit of Holiness, who lives in You?" You don't belong to yourself any longer, for the gift of God, the Holy Spirit, lives inside your sanctuary. You were God's expensive purchase, paid for with tears of blood, so by all means, then, use your body to bring glory to God" (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20 TPT).