Intimacy

Anchor Scripture: Exodus 33

Exodus 33 gives us a striking picture of what intimacy with God looks like. Moses shows a kind of boldness that can only come from a deep relationship. He dared to make requests—demands, even—and this is because he truly knew God. Without a relationship, there are certain levels of access and confidence we can never step into.

Moses desired God more than anything He could give. His priority was the Presence, not the benefits. And the question for us today is simple:
When will you desire God more than the things He gives?

Before God drew Israel closer in Exodus 33, He asked them to surrender their ornaments (verse 5). These were resources He had given them, yet they had used them wrongly to build the golden calf.
This teaches us that the first step to intimacy is surrender—laying down whatever we have elevated above God.

Often, believers put roles above relationships. We focus on doing, on rules, on service, on activity—but not on connection. Moses could speak freely to God because their relationship was the foundation.

And the beautiful thing is this: God is ready to meet us as far as we are open.

Intimacy requires responsibility on our part. We must take God’s word back to Him. We must pray with His promises in mind. We must continually build our knowledge of Him through Scripture. Intimacy doesn’t just fall on us; it grows as we spend time with Him.

When we look at Moses’ life, it becomes even clearer. He had seen God move—in the burning bush, before Pharaoh, through the plagues, in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness. He had evidence. He had a history with God. So, standing before God in Exodus 33, asking boldly, wasn’t difficult for him.
He had learned that God is consistent, and He always keeps His word.

Intimacy with God is a journey, not a race. It doesn’t have to take forever. Often, we are the ones who delay it because we get distracted or overwhelmed. God doesn’t set a timeline or pressure us to reach milestones; He simply invites us. When we stumble or drift away, our task is to rise again and return to Him.

And above all, God’s posture toward us remains the same:
With God, it is always “come as you are.”

If we will desire Him the way Moses did, respond to His invitations, and surrender the things we’ve held too tightly, intimacy will grow—naturally, deeply, and beautifully.