“Come near to God and He will come near to you.” — James 4:8
At Saintly, we believe Christian life is not just about belief — it’s about becoming. Becoming holy. Becoming whole. Becoming one with God. The Christian tradition calls this process theosis — being united with God through grace.
Yet for many, God feels distant. Life is busy. Our minds are distracted. Even our spiritual efforts can feel shallow. But the early Church Fathers knew something we often forget: God is closer than our breath — and He is longing for our nearness more than we are longing for His.
This blog draws from the deep well of early Christian wisdom — Early Patristic theology from the first 1000 years of christianity and Sacred Scripture— to help you rediscover how to draw near to God in an intimate, life-changing way.
Let’s walk this ancient path together.
1. Intimacy with God Begins in the Heart: The Purification of the Nous
The heart is not just the seat of emotions. It is the spiritual core of the human person — what the Fathers called the nous. This is the faculty by which we directly perceive God. But because of sin, the nous becomes clouded, like a dirty window.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” — Matthew 5:8
“Cleanse your heart from evil, that you may see God.”
— St. Anthony the Great, Sayings of the Desert Fathers, 3rd century
St. Macarius of Egypt (4th century) taught that the heart is a “little palace of Christ,” but unless it is cleansed through repentance and prayer, Christ remains hidden from us. The process of purifying the heart is central to intimacy with God. It requires us to:
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Renounce sin
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Guard our thoughts
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Cultivate humility
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Let go of worldly attachments
“The Lord enters into the soul that is humble and pure… and there He reveals Himself.”
— St. Isaac the Syrian, Homilies, 7th century
Whether you're Orthodox, Catholic, or Protestant, the journey always begins with the heart's transformation — from stone to flesh (Ezekiel 36:26). The key is to have "a broken humble heart that God will not despise" (Psalm 50:17) (Greek septuagint numbering)
2. Prayer: The Flame That Ignites Divine Intimacy
Prayer is not just communication; it is communion. It’s not about saying the right words — it’s about being with God in stillness and love. For the early Church, prayer was not confined to moments — it was meant to be unceasing.
“Pray without ceasing.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:17
“Let the memory of Jesus be united with your breath.”
— St. John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, 6th century
"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." - Matthew 26:41
In the Christian tradition, the Jesus Prayer ("Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner") (There are shorter variations) became a powerful way to achieve this continual awareness. It’s not about magic words — it’s about training the heart to constantly turn toward God. This specific prayer is from the examples of scripture where many would call out to Christ in this fashion as seen in Mark 10:47-48, Luke 18:38-42, and Matthew 20:30-31. This theme is constantly repeated by the Prophet David in the Psalms. The early christians have always understood that it is not about repeating the words, lest they become vain, but the intention and the attention. We are to pray always with a humble heart and a heart of repentance and hatred of our sins.
Evagrius Ponticus, a 4th-century monk, said:
“If you are a theologian, you will pray truly; and if you pray truly, you are a theologian.”
Even Protestants and Catholics can learn from this ancient rhythm of repetitive, humble prayer that keeps God ever before our eyes. Try whispering it slowly — it purifies the heart and awakens the soul.
"In times of affliction, unceasingly call out to the merciful God in prayer. The unceasing invocation of the name of God in prayer is a treatment for the soul which kills not only the passions, but even their very operation. As a doctor finds the necessary medicine, and it works In such a way that the sick person does not understand, in the just the same way the name of God, when you call upon it, kills all the passions, although we don't know how this happens"
-St.Barasanuphius the Great, 6th century
This Prayer is mainly practiced by the Orthodox Christian church, keeping the tradition dating back to second temple Judaism and the 1st century church. A good scholarly source of this, we would recommend reading the book: The Religion Of The Apostles: Orthodox Christianity In The First Century by Fr. Stephen De Young.
This Prayer is mainly practiced on either a rosary (in the western tradition) or on a prayer rope (eastern tradition). Both are provided in our Saintly store! They are not a necessity to have in order to practice the prayer, but they do help us to remind us of prayer and help us to concentrate or set time aside for a certain amount of prayers. The whole point is to become purified in prayer, but for prayer to take effect, it can only be done by the Grace of God and through humility and repentance.
3. The Eucharist: The Burning Center of Divine Union
In the Early Church, the Eucharist is not merely symbolic — it is the mystical participation in the Body and Blood of Christ, the center of Christian life.
“He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.” — John 6:56
“What the soul is to the body, the Eucharist is to the Christian.”
— St. Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies, 2nd century
The Liturgy in ancient Christian tradition is not just a worship service; it is heaven on earth. The Church Fathers described the Eucharist as both nourishment and union:
“Do not regard the bread and wine as simply that… the Lord Himself has declared: ‘This is My Body.’”
— St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Mystagogical Catecheses, 4th century
This understanding goes back to the earliest apostolic traditions, uniting East and West in reverence. In the Eucharist, we don’t ONLY remember Christ — we receive Him, become partakers of the Divine Nature (Energies of God) (2 Peter 1:4).
Without the Eucharist, we have no life (John 6:54).
4. Silence and Stillness: The Forgotten Language of God
“Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10
In today’s loud, anxious world, silence has become rare. But the Church Fathers understood that God speaks in silence, and we must learn to quiet our souls.
“Silence is the mystery of the age to come.”
— St. Isaac the Syrian, Ascetical Homilies, 7th century
The tradition of hesychasm (Greek: hesychia, “stillness”) is the Orthodox way of encountering God through silence. It is not escapism — it is attentiveness. To be still is to listen, to receive, to wait.
The Desert Fathers fled into the wilderness not to escape people, but to find God in solitude.
“Withdraw from the noise of the world… and there, in stillness, you will hear the whisper of God.”
— St. Gregory Nazianzus, 4th century
You don’t need to become a monk to find stillness. Begin with five minutes of silence. Light a candle. Sit in the presence of God. Speak little — but listen much.
Again, this is usually done through the Jesus Prayer. Stillness can be found in the noisy environment, by entering deep within the heart where the Holy Spirit resides. So, if you can not find stillness in the midst of the chaotic world, then you will not find it in a cave in the mountains in complete solitude.
5. Scripture: The Living Voice of God
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” — Psalm 119:105
The early Church reads Scripture not as isolated verses, but as a unified revelation — Christ revealed in every page, from Genesis to Revelation. The Church Fathers soaked themselves in Scripture:
“Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.”
— St. Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah, 4th century
But they also warned against private interpretation without the guidance of the Church:
“Heretics read the Scriptures, but outside the Church, they misinterpret them.”
— St. Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 2nd century
The Holy Spirit calls us to read with reverence, in community, and through the eyes of the Fathers. Consider the Psalms as your daily prayer book. Read the Gospels as your daily bread.
Let Scripture become a conversation, not a textbook — allow it to shape your mind and purify your heart. In our store, we have plenty of T-shirts and sweaters to not only remind you, but also others of God's holy scripture.
6. The Saints: Our Fellow Companions in the Journey
“We are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses.” — Hebrews 12:1
To draw near to God is to walk with those who have gone before us. Saints are not idols — they are living icons of Christ. They show us what intimacy with God looks like in human form.
“The Saints shine with the light of Christ; they become what they behold.”
— St. Gregory of Nyssa, The Life of Moses, 4th century
From St. Anthony of Egypt’s deep desert prayer, to St. Mary of Egypt’s radical repentance, to St. Athanasius’s courageous defense of Christ’s divinity — these are not superhumans. They are you and me, fully yielded to the grace of The Holy Spirit.
“Imitate me, as I imitate Christ.” — 1 Corinthians 11:1
Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox alike can find wisdom in the lives of the early saints. Read their stories. Speak their names. Ask for their prayers. Let their lives challenge yours.
7. Repentance: Not Guilt, but Return
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” — Matthew 4:17
Repentance (metanoia) is not merely saying “I’m sorry.” It’s turning. Reorienting. Returning to God’s embrace. The early Church saw repentance as a joyful sorrow — a healing balm that restores the soul.
“This life has been given to you for repentance; do not waste it on vain pursuits.”
— St. Isaac the Syrian
Confession, in the early Church, is not shameful. It’s a second baptism — the place where mercy washes over the soul.
“There is no sin which cannot be forgiven except the one not repented of.”
— St. Mark the Ascetic
"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed." -James 5:16
Make repentance a rhythm of your life — not a last resort, but a daily path to deeper intimacy.
8. Community: The Church is the Dwelling of God with Men
“You are the Body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” — 1 Corinthians 12:27
The path is never walked alone. Christianity is personal, but never private. The Church — visible, historical, mystical — is where we are formed, nourished, and sent.
“You cannot have God as Father unless you have the Church as Mother.”
— St. Cyprian of Carthage 3rd century
The early Christians lived in radical communion: they shared everything, prayed daily together, and bore one another’s burdens.
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, the breaking of bread, and the prayers.” — Acts 2:42
Seek out spiritual fellowship — even if your background is different. Worship, pray, and grow together in Christ.
"iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another" -Proverbs 27:17
"Do not be deceived: 'Bad company corrupts good morals." -1 Corinthians 15:33
Final Word: You Were Made for Union with God
“Be holy, for I am holy.” — 1 Peter 1:16
The call to intimacy with God is not for monks alone — it is the normal Christian life. Orthodox theology calls this theosis — to become, by grace, what Christ is by nature.
“God became man so that man might become god.”
— St. Athanasius, On the Incarnation, 4th century
Check out our next blog to learn more about Theosis!
“Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” — Matthew 11:28
This blog of course does not do it due justice on the amazing wisdom and the amount points and topics that can be discussed. But hopefully this gets one interested in the ancient christian traditions and a slight better understanding on how to a proper intimate life in Christ!
God is not far. He is calling. The ancient path is waiting.
Take the first step. He will meet you there.
Written by the team at Saintly — Traditional but modern Christian apparel.
Clothing the soul in timeless truth.
