I was stopped again in my spirit last night, as I prayed and thought about my day. Does that ever happen to you? I was stopped as I realized how easy I become religious; how easily I can go about doing the things I should...out of habit, without experiencing my Savior. I mean, I pray often, seek wisdom, desire to do His will, yet without intimately connecting to the True Vine. Does that even make sense to say that?
Some might argue, and I might be open to listen, that I desire what I can't experience until heaven. I am not saying that I always need to experience His presence, but perhaps what I am saying is, I don't want to go about "doing good" while not realizing that Jesus is with me. It would be like working alongside of others all day but not engaging in relationship...does that make sense?
All I know is, I felt as I prayed, that I had not had the awareness of or set my mind on Christ in that "relational" aspect. I remember the words of Christ in John 5:19, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise." I wonder if that is even possible for me, and to what degree? I know that Jesus is God and He relied on His Father in ways that I cannot in my humanity...but the longing yearns within me to experience some of that closeness with my Lord! I want to be like Jesus in His relationship with the Father while He was on earth!
There is a mystery to that, and cautions, perhaps. Yet I desire a closeness, meaningful work, and joy that comes from that kind of intimacy!
So my prayer today is; Lord, You promised to remain in me as I remain in you (John 15:4). Please help me to be aware of your presence and intimately converse and depend on you as I go about seeking to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which I have been called (Ephesians 4:1). I love you, Jesus.
I don't want to be religious, I want to be in relationship! Do you?
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"I don't want to go about "doing good" while not realizing that Jesus is with me. It would be like working alongside of others all day but not engaging in relationship...does that make sense?"
ReplyDeleteI was driving to work the other day and praying like I usually do. As I began to list those names in my heart it felt like an effort and I realized that I was not "engaging in relationship" with Him. I was checking the box that it was done. So now when I pray I check my heart and if it's too full I sit and listen to Him. He all ready knows what I am praying for and my mornings don't have to always be about what I want.