Intimacy for Impact

"What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.”

(Matthew 10:27 ESV)

The Mission Post is a journey from the secret place to the public place; writing founded in the private prayer room and expressed on a page. Latterly, I was reading Matthew 10 and saw how verse 27 echoed this principle: “What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.” (Matthew 10:27 ESV).

Daniel classed our Father God the revealer of mysteries (see Daniel 2:28). I think of him as the "sharer of secrets". Revelations and secrets discovered through the intimate conversation that is prayer. For many of you, these descriptions will resonate warmly, but where they do not, maybe it’s time to explore a life, or a prayer life, of deeper intimacy?

If you struggle with prayer or view it as a formulaic activity, it’s time to re-think. Imagine sitting at a cafe with a close friend and having a warm yet honest catch-up. It probably involves some laughter, sharing common interests and an exchange of each other’s news – however positive or painful. Treat prayer the same way: it is a conversation with Jesus. And just like your exchanges over coffee, take time both to talk and listen, to be open and vulnerable, to share and learn. And enjoy!

Reading Scripture at the start of my ‘coffee’ sharpens my ear to his voice. A voice that may land as a reminder of a past experience, a statement, an inner nudge or perhaps an echo to my own words, guiding me.

This Holy Week, journey with Jesus to the Cross, but moreover, journey to Jesus. The more we do, the more we know him and come to recognise the voice in our prayer life as the one that walks the Scriptures. Conversations cultivate intimacy. That very intimacy cultivates a life of impact. Every outward work for the kingdom flows from a stream of countless, private conversations with Jesus – conversations that change us and so change earth. Intimacy before impact. Intimacy for impact - and never the reverse, lest our ship be man-led.

Pursue intimacy with Christ and let all you give for him draw from that well so that you too can share in the light what he whispered in the dark. Be intimate; be impactful.

For further study: read Daniel 2:17-23, Matthew 7:21-23, John 10:1-29 and consider the life of John the Baptist.

Copyright © Sharmila Meadows 2021

Scripture quotations are from The ESV®Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.