I Like To Be Close

Sometimes when snuggling up to me, Susan, my wife, will say, “I just like to be close to you, to hear your heart and breathing, to have your arm around me.” These are endearing words of affection from my wife.  Of course, I like to have her close to me, whether we are driving, walking, working or with others at a church service, I love having Susan close to me.  Even in times of worship, I will slip my arm around her and pull her close, together we then will sing in worship to our God.  I appreciate Jesus and Paul as they quote the Old Testament scriptures stating how the “two shall be one” (Matt 19:6).
  Now some people might object and say, “you should not get that close to your wife when in a time of worship or adoration to God”.  However I believe worship and praise is something that I should do with all that I am, and my wife is part of me, so side by side, being close to each other, we respond in worship to our Creator.
  One Sunday afternoon I was thinking about how much I like to have Susan close to me, I was thinking about her comments about hearing my heart, my breathing and my arm being around her.  And the thought came.  “Keith, Whose heart do you like to hear beating? Whose breathing do you receive comfort from?  Whose arm do you want around you?”  I knew that this was God challenging me, He was challenging my inner desires and longings.
  Do I really cherish knowing His heart for situations, do I want to experience His breath and His Spirit in my situations?  Do I long for the hand of God to be upon me?  Of course I would quickly say yes to these questions,  but would the reality of my daily living reinforce what I know to be right?
   Lord, help us to value being near to You.  Help us know and live for those things that are on Your heart.