Up Close and Personal

How our lives all differ from one another. Sometimes, do you ever wish you could be a fly in someones life and be able to see what they are really like? Someone you admire or respect. Someone who is maybe just the opposite; whatever the person may be, we like being "up close and personal" with people, maybe not to the point of being that fly on their wall but, we all like knowing people better. Someone who doesn't, is quite self centered, because Christ was, and is, a relational person and asks us to be also.
I couldn't help but notice something specific about God's desire to be intimate with us: in Ezekiel chapter 43.
Ezekiel 43:5 says, "So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house."
I don't know all the details about the inner court but what I know is that around the outer court was a "fence", an enclosure and within that, there was a structure which was called the inner court. In the Outer Court, brought the sacrifice to the priests to "pay" for their specific sin. The priest would clean their hands, and prepare themselves for the process of cleansing. Only the Levite priests could enter the inner court, just like us, only the children of God are heard by God. The bible says that God hears the prayers of the righteous and we are only made righteous through Jesus Christ our Lord. The inner was an intimate place where fellowship was experienced with God. It is where we confess our sins, get right with God. This is where we get our direction from God His individual will for our life. This is where we learn about God. I guess that's why I like having my personal time with the Lord in my bedroom with the door closed. My children are old enough now that I can do that and they know not to interrupt my sweet time with the Lord. I'm alone with Him, reading His word, getting to know Him better, getting to know myself better by looking to the image of His Son and seeing where I need to confess and where I need to change. I get my direction as to child rearing and how to be a better wife/mom and Christian.
When we are just superficial with God, by casually reading His word saying, "There! That's done." like it was a daily chore or task. When we pray by just quickly naming off a list of names, talking TO God like we were the automated operator listing off the different departments that are available to the hearer. We close our bible in a thump and open our eyes yet still see the same darkness in our souls, feel the same weights and experience the same dreadful days of life. No purpose.
We are missing out on blessed fellowship with Him for, it is in the "Inner Court" our most inner being that God fills with His glory. We hear Him speak to us in the place of inner court. This is the place where God shows us our sin and where we should be, emotionally, spiritually and even physically. Repentance and sacrifice happen here and the "inner court" is where fellowship with God happens.
I have experienced days where I did not spend time with God. I mean, a period of time set aside to just spend time with Him, in His word and in prayer, just having His presence. I can never go long doing this; a day or two and I become weak in every aspect. I crave His presence and fellowship, His teaching and guidance. I love going to the inner court and have God fill His house, my body, with His glory.
I'll be honest, I know it is easy to grow cold towards the Lord and just get into the "habit" of doing things, being religious in our going abouts but, I can't understand how someone can live their life this way. That would be a lonely, boring, empty and without purpose life. I can't imagine my life as just being saved, not that being saved is mediocre, or bottom of the line. I just can't imagine my life not having my God in it. Walking with Him, being carried by Him, loved by Him, nurtured by Him, encouraged, taught and ministered by Him. My life would be empty and without purpose. I love Him so much, although sometimes my flesh and carnal desires sometime restrict me to show Him how much.
I can't wait to get to Heaven to praise Him continually and hear the elders and the angels leading us in praise and worship to God. Seeing and hearing the saints of old glorifying God. Eternally being in the Inner Court fellowshipping with God and bowed at His feet casting my crowns (hopefully many) at His feet. Ohhhhhh! What a day it will be!
Up Close and Personal.