God's Close Call
Bishop Matt Thomas

Intimacy is wonderful, though scary. Risking over-simplicity, intimacy is essentially “closeness.” We are geographically close to the neighbors across the fence, and biologically close to family members. In neither case does intimacy necessarily follow. It is about relational closeness. Some are afraid of intimacy; most long for it desperately; some never find it.

The opposite of intimacy is distance. Sin creates distance from God and distance from others. Enter Jesus. The solution for the human condition was God moving closer. He “moved into the neighborhood” (John 1:14).

God’s solution was an expression of His character. I used to wonder, “What were His options or potential plans, since He had foreknowledge of sin?” There might be other plausible solutions, but nothing more true to His character than moving close to the broken. That is the way God operates. We see it in creation. He stamped His image in us, but not without grabbing dirt. He likely did not need to be quite that close.

The law came to Moses, carved by God’s finger. The prophets were close enough to say, “God said.” He breathes on us. He breathes in us. He yearns for us. The inevitable result of God’s intimacy is the Incarnation. God loves so deeply that He is compelled to become as close as possible to us. Jesus takes on our flesh. It follows then that Father, Son and Spirit — the triune God — would act incarnationally. The Father sends the Son toward us. The Son moves toward us and becomes like us in flesh. The Spirit is commissioned toward — actually residing within us.

And this is how we are to mirror God. We were made in His image. We were made for intimacy. Intimacy is achieved by drawing close — through “incarnational” living. It is taking on others’ problems in an intimate way; doing what is core to the character of God and the heart of His children. God remains connected with the creation and the creation groans for connection with God.

This is our mandate. The “great commandment” of love requires that we move toward — intimately connecting with God and our neighbor. The “great commission” of disciple-making requires that we move toward — helping people connect better with God and live out His purposes for them.

Incarnational living comes with a price. It must. Embrace the dirty and we become dirty. Embrace the hurting and we hurt. The rewards are great, but the cost is high. It cost Jesus His life. It cannot be easy for us either. It requires love that fully engages others. It requires a desire for intimacy. It requires an empathy that only comes when we wrap the problems of others around us. Healing presence only comes when we are close enough to bridge gaps and embrace the hurts of others, taking their hurts as our own.

There are clear marks of incarnational living: compassion, prayer and embracing others’ joys and sorrows.

Don’t let the term “incarnational living” frighten or confuse you. Think of it as love that yearns to be close — love that cannot stay away. It comes from character rather than gifting or skill. It means placing the interest of others front and center (Philippians 2:3-8). Those who move toward others well, with compassion and consistency, are generally those who are in the habit of moving toward God.

Join me in incarnational living. It is not about sentimentality but movement: People everywhere need us to move closer to God, and closer to them.