God is holy. Definitions of holiness include moral purity, wholeness, and being set apart.
Revelation 4:8 NIV
Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: " 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,' who was, and is, and is to come."
And He calls us to be holy. The word is also translated as "saint".
1 Peter 1:15-16 NIV
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."
However, sin/sinfulness separates us from God. It is the elephant in the room, so you sit there silently looking at your feet instead of gazing into His eyes. It sucks the air out of the room so that you can't say anything in His presence, and all you can think about is how you want to step away to catch your breath.
So, repentance is necessary to return to unhindered fellowship/communion (i.e. intimacy) with God (i.e., holiness). Repentance begins with a humble admission of responsibility of being the one who stepped away from the relationship, and it includes a God-given emotional sorrow for messing up the relationship, hurting Him, hurting others, and hurting yourself.
It is like the son who asked for his inheritance from the father (before he died) and ran away and wasted it. But then he realized that he had messed up, and he decided to humble himself, return to his father, and admit that he was wrong.
And the Father forgives. His character is fundamentally good, and He always forgives when we repent and return to Him. Then He restores us to that place of intimacy, and He throws a party.
Father, thank you for making a way for us to return to intimacy and holiness with you. Thank you for your compassion and love.
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