Come Sit Awhile.....

Last summer, our boys spent 9 weeks on Word of Life Island together - about 3 hours from our home.  63 days, 62 nights not sleeping under our roof - count 'em. We got to see them about 3 times enduring tolerable interludes in between.  When we would visit, naturally there would be hugs all around.  But I noticed at the last visit, the beginning of the end of the summer (we would be staying to camp for the week) when we would take them home, the hugs were different.  The boys held on longer (so did their mama) and I even remember a whisper eeking out of my mouth into their ears "yessssss". What made the difference?

I'm camping in the Gospel of John as I prepare my heart for Easter.  Today I spent some time in chapter 15.  I love the picture Jesus paints here of the vine and branches.  The word abide - it means "to remain, continue, stay; to have one's abode, dwell, reside; or continue in a particular condition, attitude, or relationship."  Jesus said, "Remain in Me and I will remain in you." (John 15:4) He taught remaining and abiding in His presence, not commanding them to be fruitful.  Interesting.  And yet I find myself so often running from activity to activity in hopes of being fruitful for the kingdom.  That's easy for a list-making, Type A personality such as myself.  We've come up with our own requirements for finding God's favor.  And usually it involves a lot of doing, a lot of activity, a full calendar. Is this true or is it just me?  Sometimes we just don't get Jesus.

That's not wrong, but Jesus makes it clear here that He wants me to sit down and spend some time with Him - the more the better - and OFTEN - then He will bring the fruit. 

I heard it said once that in our busyness, we tend to get up and going in the morning and give Jesus a quick hug and kiss through a quick prayer asking Him to bless our day and then we're out the door.  We leave Him sitting there near our favorite chair - wishing we'd stay awhile.  To remain.  To abide. To grow intimately in our knowledge of Him.

The abiding hug.  That's the kind of hug I want to give God.  The one that says, "I have time for you.  I'm sticking around awhile."  And that's the kind of hugs I received from my boys that day last summer.  They were abiding hugs.  The boys knew they were coming home.  We weren't just going to spend a few hours together and then part ways again.  We were going to be together for awhile.  Abiding.  And it felt so good.



How much more should this time and attention be given to God and my relationship with Him?