Good morning, world!
Wow! I can’t believe those words are flowing out of my brain. It’s not a phrase that hits the page at “five-ish” in the morning from a person like me. I’m a night person. For me to function well at the start of the day requires seven to eight hours of sleep. This rarely happens. About a year ago, though, I started studying scripture on a regular basis every morning—first thing. (I saw that! I saw you rolling your eyes. Guess what? I understand. If I heard someone say “I get up every morning at _____ o’clock to spend time with the Lord,” I’d almost sprain my eyes doing the same thing.) Anyway, I digress.
This morning I was listening to someone speak about a passage in scripture. Actually, it was a single verse—John 15:7 (NIV):
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
I know what you’re saying. “That’s not true! I asked for this or that, and he didn’t give it to me.” This scripture is not a name it/claim it statement. It’s not a carrot 
being dangled in front of your eyes telling you you’ll get anything you wish if you follow this rule. You might say, “I do read the Bible; I go to church; I put money in the offering plate.” Then I must ask: has your life changed? Are you living for the Lord? Are you trying to be more like Jesus, studying his word constantly, absorbing the truths, and applying them to your life? Or are you going back to the same life you had before you met Jesus because it’s easier, more familiar?
Jesus indicated that His words needed to remain in us. What does it mean to remain? To remain means to endure, carry on, abide. I love that word abide. It explains so well what I need to do. For example, if I allow Christ’s words to abide or remain in me, they help me to be more like Jesus. I’ve discovered that I need to read His Word often and reflect on what I’m learning so that His words will saturate my life. His words will remind me that I can face difficult situations. He will strengthen and sustain me (another great word). Life is more bearable when you have a heavenly Father walking alongside you to help you through situations that take your breath away.
But that’s the problem, isn’t it?
Even believers don’t live as if God is with us everywhere we go, every moment of the day. Christians should be most conscious of this, but because we don’t remain in God and don’t let God’s words remain in us, we tend to forget that not only are we surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1), but God’s very presence is with us EVERYWHERE WE GO. It’s like we think He’s somewhere distant doing other things until we say, “Dear God.” Then He perks up and suddenly appears like a genie that grants wishes. We are so naïve.
If only we prayed to God with our thoughts so focused on Him that everything else disappeared or faded into the background! I want to know that I have the ability to ask whatever I want. But since God is already supplying everything I need, it isn’t necessary. I want to be in tune with Him and head in the same direction.
I don’t have any songs today, or any YouTube videos to share. My hope and prayers are that my readers will feel God’s presence in a way that comforts and sustains them in every situation with mercy and love.
In the meantime, God bless and keep you all!
