Knowing the Lord Intimately

There is a difference between intimacy and familiarity. I may be familiar with the condition and circumstances in which another commonly walks, but have very little real intimacy with himself—as in the case of a master and his servants. And this has its strong illustration in the history of the Lord.
The centurion, the Syrophenician and Mary the sister of Lazarus were with Him comparatively little. They are not seen in company with Him wherever He goes, but cross His path, to say the most, only occasionally. But when they are brought to deal with Him, they do so with most bright and blessed intelligence. They show that they know Him—who and what He really is. They make no mistakes about Him, while even the apostles, who waited on Him day after day, betrayed again and again the ignorance and distance of mere nature.
Is there not a lesson in this for us? Is there not a fear lest familiarity with the things of Christ be much more than the soul's real acquaintance with Himself? I may be often, so to speak, handling these things. I may be reading the books which tell of Rim. I may be busy in the activities which make His service their object. I may speak or write about Him, while others, like the centurion, may be a good deal withdrawn from all this, but their growth in divine knowledge and living understanding of Him may be advancing far more. Saul had David near him, even in his household, at his bidding, as his minstrel when he needed or wished for him, but Saul did not know David.
Surely this is a lesson for us. The multitude who waited on the Lord and watched His steps must have been able to give even Mary of Bethany, had she sought it, much information about Him. Hundreds in the land, as well as the Twelve, might have told her what He had been doing, where He had been journeying, the discourses He had delivered, and the miracles He had wrought. Information like this they had in abundance, and she but sparingly, except as she was debtor to them for it. But all that, I need not say, Left them far behind her in real acquaintance with Him.
And is it not so still? How many of us can give information about the things of Christ and answer inquiries correctly too, while the soul of the instructed sits and feasts on the things themselves far more richly. For the knowledge that a Mary may gather from the report of a multitude, or from the lips of apostles, often becomes another thing with her than it had previously been with them. A poor stranger, making her modest and yet earnest way to Jesus in the crowd, may shame the thoughts of those who were entitled to be the nearest to Him, yea, of Peter himself (Luke 8:45).
We need not so much to covet information about Him as we need power to use divinely what we know, to turn it through the energy of the Spirit into matter of communion and the feeding and enlivening of our renewed affections. Then, and then only, is it what our God would have it to be. Colossians 3:16 may teach us that while inquiring after knowledge and laying up "the word of Christ," the material of all wisdom, we should take care to nourish the simpler affections of the soul. Melody in the heart should be the companion of the indwelling word of wisdom and knowledge (Eph. 5:19). If it is not, the knowledge will be wanting in its savor and in its power to refresh either ourselves or others.
At the same time, this is not to lead us to give up action or daily companionship with the interests and people of Jesus in the world. Perfection is likeness to Himself, and in that living Pattern we see this: busy in service wherever or whenever a need called Him, but all the while, in spirit, in the deep sense of the presence of God. Here alone lies the way that is fully according to the Great Original. As one sweetly says, pressing on the soul this grace of communion combined with service:
J. G. Bellett
Proverbs
Simon. Patrick on the Proverbs 1683
Chapter 6:1-11
1. "My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger." And now, my son, that no difference may arise between thy wife and thee; be advised by me, not to pass thy word rashly for the money which thy neighbor or friend borroweth of another: much less stand bound for a stranger, whose honesty or ability is unknown to thee.
2. "Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth." Young men indeed think this no great matter: but if thou hast been so incautious, as to be drawn into such engagements, look upon thy self as no longer a free man; but hampered and enslaved in dangerous obligations.
3. "Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend." And therefore, in that case, immediately follow the counsel which I now give thee, my son; do thy utmost endeavor to be discharged, by pressing thy friend forthwith to satisfy the debt, or to give thee security against the creditor: make no delay, and stick not, if need be, to cast down thy self before him on the ground, and beseech him as readily to grant thy request, as thou wast forward to comply with his: be not modest at all; nor cease to urge and importune him by thy self and by thy friends, till thou hast prevailed with him.
4. "Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids." Be not quiet till this be accomplished; nor take so much as a wink of sleep till thou art eased of this care: which, if thou understandest thy self, may well disturb thy rest.
5. "Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler." For thou art in the same condition with a young roe, or silly bird; that is taken in the toile of the hunter or the snare of the fowler: and therefore struggle, like them, with all thy might, to get loose (if it be possible) and to be released from the bond wherein thou art entangled.
6. "Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise." Nor is industry and diligence requisite in this alone, but in all thine affairs: to which therefore, if thou art slothful, I must excite thee by the example of the ants; whose orderly and unanimous diligence, in collecting and preserving food for themselves, if thou wilt mark and observe, thou mayest be ashamed to be an idle spectator of their labors; and learn hereafter to imitate their provident care.
7. "Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler" Which is the more remarkable, because they have none to lead and direct them (as mankind have), no overseer to exact their labors; no supreme governor to call them to an account for any negligence.
8. "Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest." And yet they never omit the opportunity they have in harvest, to make provision against the winter; but toil perpetually in gathering, and carrying food into the cells they have digged for it in the earth; where they lay it up and secure it with admirable art; that it may neither be injured by the weather, nor stolen from them by other creatures.
9. "How long will thou sleep; O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?" O the strange idleness of mankind! who have many monitors and governors, that call upon them again and again, and stir them up in vain to labor. What recklessness is this, which makes thee, O sluggard, indulge thy self in laziness and sloth? as if thou wast made for nothing else, but to sleep and take thine ease?
10. "Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep." Rolling thy self in thy bed, and ridiculously desiring thy pains may be spared, and thou mayest be suffered still, without any disturbance, to enjoy a little more sleep; when thou hast loitered too long, and put off the care of thine affairs from time to time, till thou lust none left to do it in.
11. "So shall thy poverty come as one that travaileth, and thy want as an armed man" But poverty comes apace upon thee, and before thou art aware leaves thee as naked, as if thou wast strip t by a highway man nay, extreme want seizes on thee unavoidably, like an armed man, which thou canst find no means to resist.

"He satisfieth the longing soul
and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.'
Psalm 107:9