Finding Intimacy With God

Recently as Abdullah and I were having tea (and yes, he had to have his favorite dates) we fell into an interesting discussion.

It all started when he said, “Andy, I really enjoy our friendship; it’s meaningful.” I was touched and surprised, so I asked, “Abdullah, thanks. I feel the same way too. But your comment makes me wonder, why did you say that?”

His answer challenged and inspired me. “Andy, I’ve been thinking, my entire adult life I’ve worked so hard to find meaning and fulfillment. I have a good job, a nice home, and a new car.

The truth is, I have everything I’ve ever wanted, and more than I deserve. But really, out of everything I have, I find that it’s things like our deep friendship which gives my life most meaning and fulfillment.”
“Wow! Abdullah! I’m sincerely touched. What you say not only makes sense, but also explains perfectly what the Bible teaches, and also reflects God’s heart desire for us.”

He was shocked, “Really? How?”

“Abdullah, the Bible teaches that we were created in God’s image, so we could have an intimate and eternal relationship with God and each other.” He was surprised, “Does the Bible really teach that?” “Yes Abdullah, it does. God said in Genesis 1:26a, 27 ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness…So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.’”

Abdullah looked at me somewhat confused and said, “Andy, if we were made in God’s image so we could have intimacy and meaning in our relationship with God, then why don’t I always feel close to God?” “Abdullah, you already know the answer to your good question. Why do you think it’s hard for you to feel intimacy with God?”

Abdullah answered with a mixture of guilt and shame. “Andy, it’s hard to feel intimate with God when I try so hard to please him and the truth is, I’m not even sure that God has or will forgive me in the final judgement. I try hard to please God, but am never really sure I do.”

“Abdullah, what you say honors God and shows your tender heart. God knows that as hard as we try, we will never overcome the sin in our hearts. Let’s be honest, we all sin every day.” He looked at me, laughed, and said, “Yea, but I think you sin more than me.”

His humor was well intended, so I said, “The only reason I have sinned more than you is because I’m older, and have had more time to sin!”

We both laughed and I continued, “Abdullah, when God created Adam and Eve he placed them in a sinless paradise. Before Adam and Eve sinned, God lived with them. God created us so we could live in relational intimacy with Him forever. It is through our relational intimacy with God that we offer Him the glory and honor He deserves.”

Abdullah pondered this and asked, “So if God wants us to live with Him forever, then why did He kick Adam and Eve out of paradise after they sinned?” “Abdullah, we agree that God is holy, pure, blameless and cannot tolerate sin.” “Yes, we both agree about God on these points.” “Abdullah, it was after man chose by his own free will to sin against God that God’s holiness and purity caused Him to send man out of paradise where God lives. Our sin caused us to lose the intimate fellowship with God that He desires to have with us. Abdullah it’s our sin that separates us relationally and physically from living with God.”

Abdullah responded, “If that is true then why did you say earlier that God wants us to live with Him?”
“Abdullah, let me explain it this way. God created mankind in His image so that we could have an eternal, intimate and meaningful relationship with Him, and each other. That is how it was until Adam and Eve chose to disobey God by sinning. Their sin separated them from having a relationship with God.”

Abdullah was intrigued and said, “After Adam and Eve sinned was the possibility to have a relationship with God lost forever?” “Abdullah, after mankind sinned and was separated from God the story doesn’t end. It begins!” I saw hope in his eyes, “Really? How? What happened?”

“Abdullah, after Adam and Eve sinned God wanted to restore mankind’s relationship with Him so that we could live with Him forever. But there was only one way it could happen.” “What had to happen?”

“Abdullah, for us to have our relationship with God restored we would have to be forgiven. “Ok, I think I understand. Let me give an example to see if I do understand.” “Go ahead” I said. Abdullah continued,

“Because you and I are so close, if there were sin between us, it would separate us relationally. The only way our friendship could be restored is if there were true forgiveness. Once there was forgiveness then our relational intimacy would return.” “Yes my friend, it would. So Abdullah, what do you think it would take for God to forgive us?” Abdullah said, “I give up, what would it take.”

“Abdullah, what it takes for God to forgive us so our relationship with Him can be restored is something that you, as a good Muslim, will fully understand. For God to forgive and offer mercy, His perfect justice has to be met first.” He asked me, “How could God’s perfect justice ever be met so He could forgive us?”

“Abdullah, God’s justice requires that He punish us for our sins. There is nothing we could do that could ever pay the price of our sin. God’s perfect holiness demands a perfect and holy sacrifice for our sin because the wages of sin is death, as God revealed to Adam and Eve in Genesis 2:16-17 “And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

Therefore, a sinner must die in return for his sin, or offer a sacrifice that is his equal. How could we ever hope to ever pay for our own sin, we continue to sin many times every day.”

“So Andy, since we continue in our daily sin, how could we ever hope to be forgiven and restored to God?

“Abdullah in the Bible when Adam and Eve sinned it was God who offered a sacrificed animal to pay the penalty of their sin.” Abdullah was perplexed, “But Andy, how could a four legged animal ever be a payment for a person’s sin? Only mankind, not animals, was created in God’s image?”

“O Abdullah, you have such deep insight. You are correct, the lambs that were sacrificed in the Bible were only a symbol or representation of the only sacrificial Lamb that God would ever accept to take away our sin.”

Abdullah looked at me, his spiritual and mental lights were blazing bright, “Andy, I know what you are going to say, we’ve discussed this before.” I was excited and said, “So tell me my friend.” Abdullah said, “You showed me once in your Bible John 1:29. This verse is explaining Jesus. It says, ‘Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.’” “Yes Abdullah, Jesus was the sacrificial Lamb that God accepted, not only so we could be forgiven, but also restored to the perfect, sinless, intimate and eternal relationship that God has wanted with everyone from the beginning.”

Abdullah thought for a long moment and said, “Andy, when I told you a few minutes ago that what brings me most fulfillment and pleasure in my life are meaningful relationships, you are telling me now that is because of God’s design and desire from the beginning.”

“Yes Abdullah, the Bible teaches that when we accept the forgiveness offered through Christ’s sacrifice for our sin we are relationally restored to God and will live with Him in paradise forever.”

“Andy, I don’t understand or accept everything you say, but I am glad we are committed friends.” “Me too habibi, me too.”