Feb 2

Written by: tim
2/2/2010 3:14 PM 

I know that we're not supposed to brag about ourselves.  We're especially not to be like the Pharisees Jesus talked about in Matthew 6 who made a public spectacle of their prayer life and giving of alms.  Furthermore pastors are strictly prohibited from glory mongering, puffing up, bragging and otherwise carrying on about their dashing good looks, exceptional families or how spiritual they are.  Don't ask me for chapter and verse on that but we all know this to be true.

 

Right?

 

Well I'd just like to say that my family prays.  Even when unprompted I've caught my two children with heads bowed over cereal bowls and toast.  Night time is certainly not complete until at least one of the parents has led them through a prayer of thanksgiving and petitioned God for a warm and safe sleep.  Of course those are the moments when I mentally pat myself on the back for doing such a good job in raising these beautiful children.  Clearly their mother and father demonstrate such remarkable spirituality that it is rubbing off.

 

Alright, someone offer a hand and pull me out before I drown in my own cheese!

 

Here's the thing, I do think we're probably doing okay with our children.  We do try our best to teach them about God's grace, loving others, being kind, the importance of responsibility and even prayer.  I know that children pick up on parent's habits without fail.  Sometimes this is good and other times this is not so great.  What I do wonder sometimes is if they are picking up on their mom and dad remaining on the vine.  No, I'm not referring to them seeing me doing crazy things around the house.  I am referring to Jesus' word picture of what it means to abide in the Lord in John 15:1-17.  (If you have a Bible handy I invite you to read those verses now... if not you can read it online at http://www.biblestudytools.com/john/15.html)

Many of us have "Christian habits".  We can pray, give, attend church and perhaps even crack open our Bibles out of habit.  Do we abide in Christ?  There is a difference.  Do we understand what it means to remain on the vine that Jesus talks about?  Jesus promises that when we do remain on the vine that He will produce fruit through us.  The truth is that all of those Christian habits are good ones but they do not necessarily equate to us truly abiding in Christ.  I'm not sure that I fully grasp the "how to" details of remaining on the vine but I have learned to recognize a few attributes of those who do.

1) They fully expect God to speak into their lives.  They're not shocked when He does and they find no major problems with adjusting their plans according to what they hear from God.

2) They are abundantly joyful and full of purpose.  They realize that God is doing a work in them and they're excited to see what is next.  They do still go through hard and difficult things but they're not afraid.

3) They live from victory to victory not crisis to crisis.  It's not that they don't have a crisis or two now and again but they are attuned to the Holy Spirit and familiar with His Word.  They've learned what it means to "Breathe" and they are not sent into tailspins over the temporal things of today.  They have eternity in view and personally understand what it means to walk with Jesus on a day by day, moment by moment basis.

I sincerely pray that my children will learn what it means to remain on the vine and abide in Christ as they go through life's twists and turns.  I pray that you and yours will experience this as well.

Rest in the power of God!