I have been reading tender mercy for a Mother's Soul by Angela Thomas Guffey and thought I would share a little with you. I really found this interesting and oh so true!
Many of us have come to Jesus for salvation: a life-changing experience from which we receive forgiveness of our sins, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the assurance of our eternity with the Father. But then many of us wander away from the One who has saved us. We have forgotten that He calls us to come and remain...abide...stay.
When I invite someone to my home, especially someone that I love, I don't leave that person standing at the front door or even in the foyer. If it's someone whom I really want to spend time with, we always end up in the kitchen, sitting around the table, watching the children play (and fuss), talking, laughing, and lingering in the pleasure of each other's presence. I especially love to go to someone's house of for dinner and have that person hand me something to do. I feel welcome, needed, and loved. I don't want to sit in a stuffy chair in the dinning room and wait until something perfect is presented. I want to be in the kitchen, chatting, stirring, and serving. Many of us have invited Jesus in but left Him standing at the front door of our lives. We have put Him on the stuffy chair reserved just for our guest. We occasionally acknowledge his presence with a polite conversation but never allow Him into the kitchen of our hearts. He must be in the center of our lives, active and involved. Let Him come and abide in you. Remain with Him. Linger in the pleasure of His company. To come to Jesus for salvation is only to taste of the pleasures of the Father, but to remain in Him is to eat at the feast of His goodness until your hungry soul has been satisfied. For me that means spiritual fullness, a supernatural contentment that wraps itself around every part of my life, a great peace that comes in and ministers to my family, the blessing of knowing real joy in simple moments. To abide with Christ-to stay with Him and to learn from Him-is to continually receive eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart yo obey.
Again that was all from a book I am reading. This really spoke to me and it was a great reminder how easy you can get caught up in everyday life and only acknowledge God when we are in need. Jesus extends two invitations to us. The first is to come to Him and be saved and the second is to remain in Him. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:4-5 This is a great reminder on how I need God in my everyday life in order to grow and become what he wants me to be. Thank you Jesus! I love you!
