Close enough? #7

Intimacy with God is something for the weekend, or just for when we are at a conference. Intimacy is something that we need to maintain, it is something that needs to become a characteristic of our lives.

On Friday it was my wife's birthday.
Usually this day is anticipated with great excitement. I try to come up with a gift idea that she'll love without asking her so that she can't guess what it might be. Despite my secrecy on the matter she can't help herself attempting to guess what it is (and she is usually right). Then there is the excitement of the day itself, because we won't be in work and we get to do something together. In the evening we enjoy a meal together.

This year though the day has nearly crept up on us unnoticed (even though I had it all sorted).
Ruth said that she hadn't actually given it much thought (even though it is her big 3-0 which she had been dreading for so long). The reason for this is because we are looking to Christmas Eve which is when our little girl is due to arrive into the world. Our attention is on that date, we are preparing for it all the time; Ruth is reading loads, keeping herself healthy, I am busy getting things done in the house so that it is fit for 'the big day' when she sees her home for the first time.
We enjoyed Ruth's birthday but our eyes were on a more exciting day and everything we do is geared towards it; the birth of our daughter.

Intimacy with God prepares us for 'the big day' when we see our Lord and Saviour face to face. This intimate preparation saves us from any embarrassments when he appears:
"And now, children, stay with Christ. Live deeply in Christ. Then we'll be ready for him when [Jesus] appears, ready to receive him with open arms, with no cause for red-faced guilt or lame excuses when he arrives." 1 John 2:28 (Msg)