For bedtime stories the boy with auburn curls brings me the Word to read, for tender ears to hear before dreams come. This is the third night in a row he has chosen the Bible as his "bedtime story." Tonight he says, "Did you know that those words in red are what Jesus said? He actually said those words, right there!" Joy and love and excitement fill his voice and his eyes - I love his love for the Lord! This childlike faith that Christ calls us to have is simply beautiful. Fully trusting. Fully loving. Fully abiding.
So we read the words in red. The words from THE WORD covered in the red sacrifice of His life. Words that give life, words given by the author of life.
"Abide in me. . ." John 15:4
He calls us to abide. . . to remain. . . to rest in Him.
He has called us to do many things, but the one thing that is of the greatest importance is abiding. Ever dwelling in His presence. Bringing our minds, our hearts, our souls into constant communion with Him. Living and growing in our Lord.
I'm guilty though, of NOT abiding. It's easy to do when habits have turned a life into go, Go, GO!! When swimming pools and $1 movie theaters and kids museums call for summertime fun. When you go so much, in search of fun or entertainment or. . .fulfillment that you forget you had it all before you even walked out the front door. You have it all in the palm of your hand. . .a holy Word and a holy God just waiting for you to stop.
Waiting for you to stop for a moment to ABIDE.
To be in Him and to let Him fill you.
You won't get full on popcorn or chlorine or eye candy. To be filled you must be still. To be filled you must drink the Living Water.
And this jar of clay can't be filled by some drive thru version of the Gospel. Believe me, I've tried the five minute morning devotions, the three minute bedtime prayers, and the one and a half minute "Thank you for this food Lord" blessings over meals.
This gospel of convenience is not the gospel of Christ. He calls us to lay down our lives to follow Him. . . to count the cost and give Him your all, not just your leftover.
We can only be filled when we are daily abiding in Him. Keeping our jar continually in His presence. Being filled by the Word, by prayer, through worship (not just on Sundays) but everyday, every hour.
So I know our summertime is going to be doing a flip! From GO to slow.
Because it's hard to be still when you're racing go carts. It's hard to see eternity when the tv is stealing your time.
And if Christ himself spoke those words in red just hours before He was arrested. Maybe He wanted them to leave a lasting impression on the hearts of His disciples and on the heart of now.
"Abide in me."
