Remain...
Yesterday morning, as I was journaling, I decided to read a passage in John. I opened up to John 15, and read 15:1-17. It is a very familiar passage to me; yet, new meaning and a fresh perspective accompanied this passage. I love how the Lord does that! You can read something a hundred times, yet each time you gain a new understanding.
I also love how when the Lord is trying to teach me something, He uses EVERYTHING around me to get His point across!
In this passage, the word "remain" is used eleven times...ELEVEN...I've always been taught that when something is repeated, it is important. Jesus tells us to REMAIN in His love, REMAIN in Him, REMAIN on the vine....He doesn't tell us to DO anything...He says to REMAIN...
The most important things I picked up from this passage were:
- That we were to love God and love others (v. 10 and 12).
- That Jesus chose us, we did not choose Him (v.16).
- That we are FRIENDS of Jesus (v.14-15).
- That we are to REMAIN in Him and in His love...
Does that passage say that I should always be doing something? No...it simply says that we are to remain (which means to "to stay in the same place or with the same person") in Jesus and in His love...and when we remain, we will grow, we will "bear fruit"
And yet, how often do I just simply sit with Jesus and enjoy His presence?
How often do I sit at His feet, like Mary, and listen to what He has to say (Luke 10:38-42)?
Like Martha, I always have to be doing something...it's just the way I was made. But, something God has been teaching me through my reading and through outside observations is that I need to learn to just relax, to just sit and be in the Lord's presence...I need to be more like Mary, and be willing to "lay aside the worries of my day" for the chance to spend time with the Lord. I need to draw near to Him each day for nourishment, just as the branches remain connected to the vine.
I need to learn to just "be"...
Wow...a lot to ponder today. :)
posted by Lesa at 8/03/2004 10:55:00 AM
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