Recently, due to my crazy schedule, I took a bit of a writing hiatus. It has been a refreshing week and a half; I realized that I had posted more recently than I had originally planned and my hiatus is somewhat taken on a different form. There has been one thing God has been drilling in me during this time and I feel released to share it with you.

As Christians we get to take part in the most privileged relationship in the entire universe, as we get to have a relationship with God. As in any natural relationship it is one that is formed and developed over time spent with the other and with God it is no different. This is not always the easiest thing to do because in our American culture it is easy to be distracted or find excuses for not spending time with God. For some, they do not see the importance for lack of truly knowing Him (see 1 John); while others have not submitted their entire heart to give Jesus first place in their lives. The majority, including myself, is placed in the latter category. How can we expect to know God if we never spend time with Him in His Presence or in His Word? Spending time with God or having what many call a personal devotion time is the way we really get to know Him intimately as He desires. This is what eternal life is all about, for John 17:3 says, “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.“

While, admittedly, I have not been faithful in my time with God as He has been with me, but it is an area I am working hard on establishing in my life as a core non-negotiable (something I resolve to not compromise no matter what may come down the road of life; it will remains core fundamental of who I am). The one chapter that God has been burning in me on this has been John 8 and in particular within has been verse 31b, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.”  The word “abide” there is the Greek word “menō“  (Strong’s #G3306) which means, “[in reference to place] to remain, not to depart, to be held, [in reference to time] to continue to be, not to perish, to last to endure, [in reference to state or condition] to remain as one, not to become another or different.” Jesus told them “if you abide in My Word” meaning that is a place, in particular, the Secret Place (Psalm 91 & Matthew 6:6) which is the essence of personal devotion time. Abiding here also refers to time, as many times throughout the Gospel Jesus made statements of “he who endures to the end will be saved” and abide here means “to endure, not to perish.” The only way we can endure this life to the end and be saved is when we learn to abide in His Presence by abiding living and remaining in His Word.

Lastly, when we abide in His Word we will remain as one with the Lord (Ephesians 2:4-9). The key is that God has already made us one with Him but is our choice if we choose to abide and stay there. God desires that we all would be conformed or changed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29) and that is the end result of when we learn to live by abiding in His Word.

When it comes to God’s Word we can either read it or allow it to read us (Hebrews 4:12)! I have made the choice to stay put in His Word, I choose to abide…what about you?

“Like” Along the Way on the Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/atheway
and Twitter: @Atheway1