Its December 25 and I reflect on the year that has just screamed by and how time rushed ahead without a thought about my readiness to keep up with it. There weren’t enough mornings in my mornings, no energy in my evenings and little will to do anything productive in my “free time.” I am thankful, however, that I wasn’t oblivious to its hurried pace and even more thankful that I did manage to accomplish even if but a few things. Somewhere during the year I lost my momentum though; my energy waned and my will weakened. Where did it go? Why did it go? What was the source of my motivation?
My accomplish-all attitude and passion came following my devoting to time to fast during the Easter. I reserved that season to seek the Lord, to hear from Him, to live for Him and to be separated unto Him. What followed was… POWER. It was power to achieve. It was power to do and be. The verb revealed to me at the end of that fast was simple “ABIDE.” Remain in Christ. It meant perpetually having a heart and a mind for the Lord. It meant that I met with Him in the morning, spoke to Him throughout the day and poured out my guts to Him at night. I was ever-conscious of His presence and eye. I was His and He was mine.
So, abiding in Christ is like a branch remaining as a part of its tree. As long as it remains, it remains green and fruitful. If it no longer abides it dries up and can bear no fruit.
Selah.
Pruning Jonathan 