Living the Christ-life is not a random adventure; it is not a relationship where you check the box and then go on each day as if God doesn’t exist.
Walking with Christ is a life of making connections throughout the day as the Holy Spirit guides our steps. Aware of God’s presence in your life, you look to see where He is working, teaching, and leading.
This is the abiding life. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:4-5).
Let me explain. Yesterday morning, I went to bed and awoke with a heavy burden on my heart concerning the local church of which I am a pastor. My daily Bible reading included Ezra 1-2. There I was reminded of the faithfulness of God to fulfill His promise to Israel. He even used a worldly king to accomplish His plan as the captives returned from Babylon to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple and the city. God was and is faithful to His covenant.
Interesting, . . . the faithfulness of God. Two days ago I recorded one of my weekly radio broadcasts, titled “Seeing the Faithfulness of God” from Lamentations 3:21-26. Then, as I read Ezra, the following was in the study notes from Warren Wiersbe. “Regardless of our circumstances, we can trust God to be faithful. Great Is Thy Faithfulness isn’t just a verse to quote or a song to sing. It’s a glorious truth to believe and to act upon, no matter how difficult the situation in might be.”
Then as I turned to read another part of my daily Bible plan, these words of Christ recorded in Luke 24:38-40 spoke to my heart. And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. Oh, how troubled and doubtful I become when I do not keep my mind fixed on the faithfulness of God, For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us (2 Corinthians 1:20).
As I walked through my day, I continued to see the faithfulness of God through answered prayer, discipleship, a conversation with some folk on the mountain while hiking, His creation all around me, an encouraging word from a growing believer in Christ and the words of several songs sung while hiking back down the mountain.
The events of the day were random, but the connections were not. They were all a part of living life in Christ Who is our life (Colossians 3:4).
What connections will you see today on this journey with Christ?
From A Pastor’s Heart,
Dale
From A Pastor's Heart 