There’s been a long silence here on my blog the past few months! There’s been no silence in my heart or head, though, as I’m adjusting to life in the Middle East, full-time Arabic learning, and discovering what it means to glorify God amidst a people that have (mostly) never heard the fullness of the Gospel in a way they can understand. I am learning much, and I hope to continue to share what I’m learning through this blog. I want to start, though, with what’s mostly been stirring on my heart…
Our patio is peaceful place. We’re blessed to have a beautiful view of the city. It’s relatively quiet, too. At any given time I hear birds chirping and distant traffic, interrupted by sounds of the occasional cat fight, neighborhood discussion, or the ice-cream-truck-sounding propane delivery service who passes by numerous times daily.
Five times a day, though, a different sound interjects in the daily rhythm. A call to pray. (Click below for a 1-minute audio clip.)
This call serves as my wake-up call at 5am. It is also a 5-times-a-day reminder of the context I’m living in. It reminds me that many of my neighbors are deeply committed to good spiritual behavior. It reminds me that, in itself, the act of waking up early to pray has little or no eternal significance – unless my heart is connected with Jesus.
For my neighbors, this is not a call to abide. It’s a call to an attempt to please God through obedience and sacrifice. For me, there is a different call to prayer – a call from my Master: “Come to me… (Matthew 11) Abide in Me (John 15).” Similarly to my neighbors, I “make it [my] aim to please Him” (2 Cor 5:9), but I do this knowing that already “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (5:21). I can do nothing to please Him on my own. I can only accept His invitation to come and to abide.
Those of you who have known me for awhile know that the message of abiding is one that has been on my heart for a long time. It’s still something I’m learning more and more about. This past week, I listened to a couple of messages I taught for a women’s retreat in 2012 on the same topic. The messages held such good reminders for me. I hope to write more about the importance of abiding in the coming months, but if you’re interested in hearing the two messages you can find them by clicking here.
May God continue to give us more grace to understand what it means to come to Him many times a day, to recognize our great need for Him, and to remind ourselves: I am abiding in Him. It’s not because of my own performance or my own commitment – it’s because He became sin for me and gave me the right to be a fruit-bearing branch on this glorious Vine.
Please feel free to comment below, but avoid using my name in your comment. Thanks!
I can hardly imagine the adjustment you are going through! If it weren’t for God’s grace, imagine how much more difficult. Your statement that we are abiding in Him because he became sin for us, is a good reminder. We want to bear fruit, but while we do that we have to always remember that we do it not to earn his love, but because he already loves us! God is good, all the time. Love you. Dad
Dear Sister in the Lord,
I enjoyed reading your blog this morning. I, like you, have really enjoyed reading and studying what it means to abide in the Vine according to His word in John 15. In a book, “Secrets of The Vine”, written by Bruce Wilkinson, he shares that when God draws us to Himself and we respond with obedience to His call, then He will use us in His fruitful harvest. This is pretty exciting, huh? God wants us to succeed in bringing about a “heaping” basket full of Grapes (harvest).
Can you imagine Jesus in the midst of a lush vineyard teaching the lesson of John 15 to his disciples, only hours before His death?
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit.” (John 15:1-2, 5,8)
Thank you for obeying God’s call on your life to “ glorify God amidst a people that have (mostly) never heard the fullness of the Gospel.” God’s power is more than enough for you. He loves you when He says “And be sure of this I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20).
This past Thursday I read in Andrew Murray’s, Teach Me To Pray “Abiding in Him” and staying connected to the Vine many times through your day. As you wake to a people who don’t have a relationship with God. Praise Him that you do! “That first Morning Watch, waiting in prayer for the risen Lord to reveal Himself, has been a joy to thousands of souls ! With a burning love and strong hope, they wait for Jesus to manifest Himself as the Lord of Glory. There they learn to dwell in the keeping of His abiding presence.”
I will pray for you according to 2 Corinthians 9:8, that “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
Stay connected to the Vine!
Pam R.
The following pieces that you wrote in your blog really spoke to me! Your audio clip is extremely powerful!
A. It reminds me that, in itself, the act of waking up early to pray has little or no eternal significance – unless my heart is connected with Jesus.”
B. I can do nothing to please Him on my own. I can only accept His invitation to come and to abide.
C. May God continue to give us more grace to understand what it means to come to Him many times a day, to recognize our great need for Him, and to remind ourselves: I am abiding in Him. It’s not because of my own performance or my own commitment – it’s because He became sin for me and gave me the right to be a fruit-bearing branch on this glorious Vine.
I remember you mentioning this concept of abiding during the summer, and I was so drawn to you because of it. I saw a peace and a joy and a rest – in the midst of hard work and responsibility – that I wanted so much. Yes, I had read those passages about abiding, but I really didn’t know how to do it; I guess it seemed very difficult and “spiritual/religious.” I guess I thought abiding meant hard work! What’s really beautiful is that God has been impressing the truth on my heart this year! And now I, too, am learning to abide. 🙂 I love that it is He who keeps us. Abiding is yielding, trusting He’s done what He promised, that I am who He says, that I’m in Him and He’s in me. I am so excited for what He’s doing in your life. You make an insightful contrast in this entry. Know, and praise God, that He used you to whet my appetite for living a life of abiding. I hope we can meet again!