Of the many post-resurrection accounts of the ministry of Jesus, the one that captivates my thinking is His conversation with the two believers on the road to Emmaus as recorded in Luke 24:13-35. How their hearts burned from being with Him! Pat Pajak calls that feeling, “a holy heartburn” and it is clear evidence of a close walk with Jesus.

As I have thought about having a deep, personal, and intimate relationship with Jesus, I have come to believe that there are three keys to such a realtionship.

First, a deep, personal, and intimate relationship with Jesus requires “Presence!” While Jesus is at all times everywhere present, this kind of presence is what you sense when He is so near that you can almost feel His touch and hear His words. The good news is that He is always near to His people, and we do not have to seek to find Him. He dwells in our spirit through the Holy Spirit. Think of it beloved… He is near, He is near!

Second, a deep, personal, and intimate relationship with Jesus requires “Time!” It has been well and often said that time is the one thing that once we lose it is gone forever. Time is going, going, and going by. One of our most important decisions is how we will invest this fleeting and irreplaceable resource. Obviously, there is no better way to spend our time than to be with Jesus. Setting aside time for anything is a real challenge in my life – and I am sure in your life as well – but, He must have the priority in our life that a King deserves!

Third, a deep, personal, and intimate relationship with Jesus requires “Communication!” Communication: speaking to and listening to another. We speak to Jesus in prayer, but I wonder if we realize that He knows our thoughts? He does. It is cathartic to actually verbalize what we say to Him, but He knows our thoughts and hears when we think of and think on Him. Communication also requires listening. Mostly, we listen to Him when we spend time in His word. Prayer and Bible reading… not very novel, and certainly not new; but, that is how we communicate with Jesus!

Presence, Time, and Communication… that’s it.

I really want a deeper and more intimate relationship with Jesus. I am commiting myself to setting aside the time necessary; and, to discipline myself to walk and talk with Him more and more! How about you? God bless you.