Getting Through Today

Tags

an encouraging word, anxiety, depeding on the Lord, dependence on God, encouragement, getting through the day, how to depend on the Lord, in this together, worry

John 15:5 says, “I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me.”

In Andrew Murray’s book Absolute Surrender, Murray says that the branch’s only job is to stay connected to the Vine. In other words, the branch doesn’t have to worry with where its nourishment will come from. It doesn’t concern itself with how much fruit it’s producing. It doesn’t even have to fret over what the future will look like. The branch’s only job is to stay connected to the Vine. In Scripture, this state of being connected is also called abiding.

Watchman Nee, in his book Sit, Walk, Stand, describes abiding as sitting in a chair. When you sit, he explains, you have faith the chair will hold you up. Your whole weight is depending on the chair.

I love that picture! It sounds easy. After all, I sit in chairs all the time. But, I confess, spiritually speaking, sitting, abiding, staying connected to the Vine does not come naturally. In this season of my life though, I am learning that this truly is the best way to live.

When I am connected to the Vine, to Jesus Christ alone, when I am abiding in Him, I am not filled with stress, I am filled with Him – His strength, His joy, His love.

So, whatever results happen (or don’t) I’m great with… because it’s all up to Him. If He decides I need lots of strength for what He has for me today? No problem. I’m attached to Him already, so I already have what I need at my disposal.

If He decides it’s time for me to forgive? No problem. His forgiveness is already flowing through me.

Need some love today? No problem. His love is already in me.

See how simple it is? Yet, most of the time, we make it so complicated.

Jesus says in Matthew 10:28, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest…” He goes on to say in verse 30 of this same chapter, “…For My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Let’s choose the easy path today, the less complicated perfect will of our Father and simply stay connected to our Vine, Jesus. Let’s sit in His presence, breathe Him in and de-stress knowing He’s got it all and simply abide as He has called us to knowing that all the branch has to do is stay connected to the Vine. He does the rest.

Seeking Hearts Ministries

My Story

** Photo by Kerry Vale Vineyard  “Adopt a Vine”

Advertisement

Spreading it Before the Lord

Tags

anxiety, attacks, battles, burdens, choices, christian journey, christian walk, Christianity, encouragement, enemies, family devotions, focus, hope, hurts, laying our burdens down, peace, perspective, trust, walking with God

So, Hezekiah is an interesting figure in the Old Testament. I love parts of his story and I’m not crazy about others…the norm for any human, I suppose. In Isaiah 36 and 37, we see Hezekiah come up against a vicious enemy. This enemy had destroyed many kingdoms and was now after Hezekiah’s. Actually, the enemy was now coming against God’s Kingdom. So, Hezekiah had a choice. He could choose to freak out, or he could lay his issues at the feet of His King. I love that Hezekiah did both.

Isaiah 37:1 says that when Hezekiah heard what his enemy had threatened he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth. He realized the seriousness of the situation and acted accordingly. Then, the Word tells us he went to the house of the Lord. Isaiah 37:14 says, “Then Hezekiah took the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it, and he went up to the house of the Lord and spread it out before the LORD.”

I can’t tell you how much I love this. Hezekiah took all the threats, all the accusations, all the hate and arrogance of his enemy and spread it before the Lord. Then, he prayed. He prayed about everything that was on his heart. He refocused himself by emphasizing God’s power, then he told God about what his enemy had said. He poured it all out knowing that His God was in control.

Can you imagine the fear and anxiety that were running through Hezekiah? Can you imagine all the issues and scenarios running through his mind? After all, he could still smell the sackcloth yet He chose to trust His God.

So, I ask you, what do you need to lay before the Lord? What do you need to spread before His feet? Who has assaulted you? Who do you think is out to get you? Who still stirs up anger when you hear their name? Write their names on some paper. Write every situation down and spread it before your God. Pour it out before Him. Psalm 62:8 tells us that He is a refuge for us and that He wants us to empty our hearts out to Him. Stay before the Lord for as long as it takes and then take every scrap of paper, wad it up, toss it in the trash and accept the peace from your God that only He can give. Feel the anxiety leave, the fear give way and the fresh hope of your Lord consume you.

Only our God can do that for us. Only our God can replace fear with trust and anger with love. Let’s spread all of our anxieties before Him and allow Him to do His perfect work today.

My Story       Seeking Hearts Ministries