In a world where impersonal interactions and shallow connections have become the norm, we are blessed to serve a God who desires an intimate and personal relationship with each one of us.
Our faith isn’t just about following a set of rules or practicing rituals; it’s about encountering a living and loving God who knows us individually, walks with us through our trials and rejoices with us in our victories.
Divine Intimacy: John 3:16 reminds us that ‘God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son’. This act of sacrificial love alone demonstrates that our faith is rooted in a personal God who desires to be close to us. Jesus didn’t come to Earth merely as a disconnected figure but as the embodiment of God’s love, grace and His presence. He desires to be close to us, to know us intimately and to be known by us.
At the heart of the Christian faith lies the extraordinary event of the incarnation. The Word became flesh and Jesus dwelt among us and we have seen His ‘glory’ John 1:14.
The Hebrew word is Sh’khinah meaning ‘dwelling’ or ‘settling’ This divine act of ‘dwelling/settling’ on the earth is an unparalleled display of God’s desire to be near us, to experience life as we do and to understand our human struggles.
Jesus was born into poverty, faced temptation, felt joy and pain, all to bridge the gap between the divine and the human. The incarnation is a testimony to God’s personal investment in our lives.
The Good Shepherd: In John 10:14-15, Jesus refers to Himself as the Good Shepherd who knows His sheep and lays down His life for them. This imagery illustrates the personal nature of our relationship with Jesus. Just as a shepherd knows each sheep by name and cares for their individual needs, so Jesus knows us intimately and cares for every aspect of our lives.
He knows intimately our fears, hopes, aspirations and struggles.
The parable of the lost sheep Luke 15:3-7 vividly portrays Jesus as the Good Shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to find the one lost sheep.
Friend and Redeemer: Jesus also calls us friends John 15:15. Imagine, the creator of the universe, the one who holds all things together, the King of kings, calls us His friends.
This evidences the depth of the personal connection He desires with us. Through His sacrifice on the cross, He not only redeems us from sin but invites us into a friendship that is genuine, deep and eternal.
The cross is the ultimate symbol of Jesus’ personal sacrifice for our salvation. He willingly bore our sins, offering His life as a ransom for many Mark 10:45.
This act of selflessness highlights his deep love for each of us individually. Jesus didn’t die for humanity in the abstract; He died for you and me, personally.
His love knows no bounds and His sacrifice has a personal impact on our eternal destinies.
The Indwelling Holy Spirit: As Pentecostals, we celebrate the outpouring of Holy Spirit, who dwells within us. This indwelling Spirit serves as the constant reminder of the personal presence of Jesus in our lives. He guides us, convicts us and empowers us to live in alignment with God’s will.
It’s through Holy Spirit that Jesus continues to have an active, personal presence in our lives. His Spirit helps us discern His voice, experience His peace and grow in our relationship with Him.
Prayer and Intimacy: Prayer is the lifeline of our personal relationship with Jesus. It is through prayer that we pour out our hearts, express our joys and sorrows and listen to His gentle whispers.
In Matthew 6:6, Jesus invites us to pray in the secret place, a place of intimacy where we connect with Him on a deeply personal level.
Church, let us never underestimate the significance of having a personal relationship with Jesus. He is not a distant historical figure but a living, present Saviour who desires to walk with us daily.