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Thoughts on Intimacy with God and Abiding

Thursday, August 1st, 2024   by Linda Dindzans   Start the Conversation

By Linda Dindzans @lindadindzans
Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not more valuable than they? Matt.6:26 (NKJV)

I love sunrise. It’s often a time of intimacy with God for me. It’s a time when I—more Martha than Mary—take the time to “be still.” A time when I find peace and joy and rest. Often, I’m led to capture the moment with a photo. In this moment, I rejoiced in the seemingly effortless flight of this bird. This was a picture of abiding, thriving not striving. For me, it was a perfect picture of abiding with God—that place of God’s Rest. A creature fulfilling the intent of its creation.

Later, on this trip in the Galapagos, I was surprised when the National Geographic naturalist taught that many birds can fly all night and for days.
Or like the frigate bird, thousands of feet high, for weeks on end.
A tiny bird, the common swift, flies for up to 10 months. They eat, drink, and sleep while flying.

The day after I learned about such prolonged flights, I saw a flock of gulls night-flying just off my balcony alongside our expedition ship.

Now, when I see a bird soar, and remain in the heavens, it is an image of abiding in God’s Rest. A reminder of those rare transcendent moments when my soul touched heaven. Moments when I was acutely aware I was soaring using my gifts from God. Moments that left me longing for the next one.

How can I learn to soar for longer, more often?

Thoughts on Encouraging Intimacy with God

Reflecting back, my life can be described by four intertwining “M” phases:

  • music
  • medicine
  • motherhood
  • manuscript.

Each phase has offered such moments.

  • In music while playing violin or singing in a choir.
  • In medicine, when an unexpected solution came to mind in the clinic or operating room.
  • In motherhood, holding a child who has fallen asleep in your arms.
  • With a manuscript when a sentence was written with words that were never mine, but only His.

What did those moments have in common?

First, picking up my responsibility and carrying the burdens God-given gifts require—preparation, study, learning a craft…but ultimately casting my cares on Him—letting go of striving and, instead, thriving with Him in gratitude for the gifts He has bestowed.

For me, this Bible verse is a perfect echo of what I learned through that time with God:

“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matt.11:28-30 (NKJV)

What about you, how do you make sure you’re soaring with God? Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

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