Remain

We have been called to a relationship with our Heavenly Father. The kind of relationship He’s asking of us doesn’t look like weekly visits on Sunday mornings, or even daily check-ins as we grab some devotional time. These things are an important part of our relationship, yes, but not it’s entirety.

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine; You are the branches. The one who remains in me - and I in him - bears much fruit because apart from me you can accomplish nothing.  John 15: 4-5

In John 15, Jesus paints us a picture of remaining. This is not visiting a water source for a refill on a regular basis, but a constant attachment. In 1 Thessalonians 5 we are taught to pray without ceasing, or constantly pray. That might seem impossible if your picture of prayer is a person on their knees beside their bed, but do you have a running dialog in your head? I think most of us do. Thinking through what we’re doing, what’s coming up, what that thing on the wall is. What if, instead of having that running dialog with yourself, it was a running dialog with God? Guess what, that’s prayer. That’s prayer without ceasing.

At first it might take a little adjustment to switch to engaging with God instead of yourself. If you’re a visual person, like me, you might put little reminders around to trigger you to talk to God. Maybe a verse on a mirror or a little figurine on a windowsill, whatever works for you. You’ve got to remember as well that it’s a dialog, not just a monologue. So, every once in a while, take some time to listen to God as well. This can be weird and awkward at first but when you start hearing back it is SO COOL!

Here’s the Thing: Jesus is not just a to-do item on our checklist. Just like with our kids we didn’t change their diaper and then walk away for the rest of the day (I hope), we need to take Jesus with us into our whole day.