Fully Known by Mo Aiken

Aiken begins her book with a bold statement. “You were made to know intimacy with God.” (130/2664) Yet she noticed a lack of deep personal relationships with the Lord among professing believers. God has made the intimacy possible, making a way for us to know Him and be known by Him. We have everything we need: the finished work of Christ, the Holy Spirit, His Word. Why is intimacy so lacking in the Christian community?

Aiken explores the roots of why we do not pursue intimacy with God. Perhaps we are so focused on doing for God we have missed being with God. Perhaps we are not willing to count the great cost to that intimacy. Perhaps we are so focused on the world we don't take the time for such intimacy. Perhaps we are not willing to repent, to be quiet, to be small.

Aiken uses marriage as the framework to understand God's covenantal love for us and help us understand our response to Him. She frequently concentrates on the physical intimacy of marriage, such as likening a wife being too tired for her husband's advances to our being too taken by the cares of this world to respond to God's advances. (1692/2664)

There is a great deal of good admonishment and encouragement in this book. While there is no specific strategy to help us on the journey to intimacy with God, Aiken gives many suggestions. She admonishes us to true repentance, to live in an awareness of and submission to the Holy Spirit, and more.

I am not so taken with marriage as a useful example to our intimacy with God. Marriages in this sinful world are faulty. I cannot think of one marriage I know that I would say is a good example of a relationship with God. Just as many Christians have difficulty understanding God as Father because of their own fathers, I think many might have difficulty benefiting from a marriage example because of their own or of others. And then you have the single people.

If you desire deep intimacy with God, this book will give you encouraging suggestions. Just make sure you are willing to count the cost, to engage the Holy Spirit working in you, and to surrender what is required.

You can read an excerpt here.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Mo Aiken is Mo Isom, the New York Times bestselling author of Wreck My Life and Sex, Jesus, and the Conversation the Church Forgot. She co-labors for the kingdom within BOLDLIFE INITIATIVE, a ministry that exists to challenge, encourage, and equip Christ followers to pursue holy and bold lives. The team maintains a thriving nationwide speaking ministry and facilitates a faith-centered blog that has garnered millions of views to date. They regularly share prophetic words on YouTube, as well as Instagram, and freely offer additional resources through https://www.moisom.com/. Mo and her husband live with their three children in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo credit: Lindsey Hansen Photography.

Baker Books, 192 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)