The Danger and the Delight: Rethinking "Familiarity" with God

By Mike Osunkwo

Part 1: The Intimacy God Desires (The Good "Familiarity")

We often hear the warning: "Familiarity breeds contempt." It is a phrase we use in relationships, in the workplace, and even in our spiritual lives. But as Christians, we are also called to a deep, personal relationship with our Creator. The psalmist declares in Psalm 63 that his soul thirsts for God, his whole being longs for Him in a dry and weary land. We sing songs about being a "friend of God," yet we tremble at the thought of approaching His throne carelessly. So, which is it? Is it "bad" to be familiar with God? The answer is both yes and no. The Bible presents a beautiful tension. It invites us into profound intimacy with God while simultaneously warning us against a dangerous familiarity that leads to irreverence. To understand this, we have to look at two different kinds of "familiarity," beginning with the kind God actually desires.

God's ultimate plan for humanity has always been relationship. From the Garden of Eden, where God walked with Adam in the cool of the day, to the marriage supper of the Lamb described in Revelation, the Bible tells a story of God dwelling with His people. This closeness is not just allowed; it is commanded and treasured. We see this most clearly in how Scripture describes our identity. In Second Chronicles, we read that Abraham was called God's friend, and the apostle James echoes this in his epistle, stating that Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness, and he was called God’s friend. This is more than a title; it signifies a level of relationship where God shares His heart with a person.

The Lord Himself spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend, in the tent of meeting. Jesus Himself expands on this in the gospel of John, telling His disciples that He no longer calls them servants, because a servant does not know the master's business. Instead, He calls them friends, because everything He learned from the Father He made known to them. This is the pinnacle of relationship. A friend understands the heart and mind of the other, and God desires to share His heart with us, not keep us at arm's length.

Furthermore, because of Jesus's sacrifice, the barrier between us and God was completely torn down. When Christ died, Matthew records that the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, symbolising open access to the Holy of Holies. We are no longer outsiders hiding in fear. The writer of Hebrews issues a radical invitation, urging us to approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. The word "confidence" here means boldness, freedom, and cheerful courage. Peter also tells us that we are a royal priesthood, called to declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayICxsWKCm0

We can run to God in our time of need, not cowering, but as children running to a loving Father who welcomes us. This is exactly the metaphor the New Testament most often uses. Paul writes to the Romans that we have not received a spirit of slavery that leads to fear again, but we have received the Spirit of adoption. And by that Spirit, we cry out, "Abba, Father." "Abba" is the Aramaic word for a close, intimate term for father, similar to "Daddy" or "Papa." This is the ultimate expression of holy familiarity. It is closeness without fear, but as we will see in Part 2, it is never closeness without respect, for as the prophet Malachi asks, if we are masters, where is the honour due to us? And if we are fathers, where is the respect due to us? So it is with the Lord Almighty.