Chalk It Up To: Intimacy with God

Good leadership is a channel of water controlled by God; he directs it to whatever ends he chooses. 

Proverbs 21:1 (MSG)    

As we are barely into a New Year, let us begin with resolve to make a mark of sorts for the Kingdom in 2012. I like to think that God graciously hands me a clean slate January 1st, along with a fresh pack of chalk. He then guides my hand, allowing it to trace His glory in vivid color so it will rub off on others. I can let Him do it, or I can leave the chalk in the box. Hmmm!

Pam Ferrell has written a book, Woman of Influence, categorizing ten ways women can have a positive effect on their friends. I like her list, so thank you Pam—I am going to borrow from it.  

The first quality of an influential woman is that of Intimacy with God, and I can’t think of a better place to begin. In fact, it is the only place to begin. If you are not intimate with God, you may indeed influence others, but to what end? You’ve heard it said: win the rat race, you’re still a rat. That is so hauntingly true!

The effect I have on family and friends comes from deep within. It cannot be separated from spirit and soul. What I am is controlled by my intimacies, and my intimacies are determined by time carefully spent, be it engrossed in a good book, mesmerized by Dancing with the Stars, perusing the pages of Facebook, or be it time spent with God.         

Characteristic of intimacy is a closeness, familiarity, warmth, affection. The Abba relationship Jesus had with the Father is representative of real, profound intimacy. Mary of Bethany exhibited intimacy in her desire to hang on every word Jesus spoke. But then so did Martha, no matter how distracted she may have been by her compulsion to serve (Luke 10:38-42). Her confession of Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world” (John 11:27) could only have come from intimate moments with the Lord.

And I cannot help but think that Jochebed, Moses’ mom, was intimate with God as well, to take the chance of floating her three month old down the Nile under the nose of the Pharaoh’s daughter (Exodus 2:1-10).

If you have a hint of influence for the Kingdom in the marrow of your bones, you can chalk it up to your intimacy with our great God. He is more than willing to float you along in the direction you should go. 

Nancy P