Living or Abiding

I have had this thought mulling around in my mind for quite some time, and it's finally hit me why I was unable to get away from it. The idea of living life, going about ones business because she must or because he should feels so empty. And if you are like me my friends, there may be a day, and perhaps it's today where you sat down, took a look at your daily life and said.."Well that felt pointless." No, I have not given up on all that God has taught me, or what I know about the Lord, don't be scared...:) but I am addressing a simple fact that life can become pointless when we simply do what we need to do, because we need to do it. It's like a singer who sings a song, and actually sounds quite beautiful but has no life behind their eyes. They stand in one place on the stage throughout the entire song, never moving anything but their lips...you begin to think to yourself.."is that a robot singing?"

Have you ever felt this way about life in general? Well, I have, and these days of late, I'm recognizing WHY we feel this way as people. As people, we were designed to follow the instruction of our Savior, we were designed to want and really, need direction. Most of us hate directions and most of us would rather do things on our own, which in turn, leads to simply living life...to live it. Abiding, is something quite different, and it's this abiding in the Lord that I am now getting a grasp on. Abiding is doing something, not because we know we should do it, but doing it to the best of our ability because we know the Lord desires us to give it our all, and in the end, please Him and bring Him glory through our actions.

I am a busy mom. I can muddle my way through any old day, making meals, changing diapers, and cleaning floors, and feel somewhat satisfied with the fact that I did in fact help two little people from being hit by cars each day. But that in itself, is not enough. It's not enough for you, and it's not enough for me, and it's most certainly, not bringing the most glory to the maker. It's the not the actions of my day that must change, because those are imminent, it's the attitude BEHIND the actions that should and must change. And the only way they are going to truly change is through the gentle guidance and leading of my Savior who wrote it all out for me in His word. All I need to do is open it's pages and watch as wisdom unfolds to me, so that is what I do, I open the word, I absolutely pour over it's pages, looking, scraping, grabbing at the truths He has offered for me each day, Why? Because I am desperate. Desperate to abide in the life, abide and know His wisdom for my every step rather than walking blind. You too my friend can approach each and every day of this life that He has given you in such a way...

Learning to abide is the learning wisdom...and of course, like Solomon realized, wisdom is something you gain over a lifetime, but why was Solomon so wise? He asked for wisdom. He asked for understanding and searched for it as buried treasure...

"My son! If you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if look for it as for silver and search for it as hidden treasure the you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom and from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds VICTORY in store for the upright, He is a shield to those whose walk is blameless...

Then you will understand what is right and just and fair-every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul."

Proverbs 2:1-10

When we search like this, when we dig for the gold nuggets of knowledge, we not only learn more about the God we serve, His character, the things that are important to Him, the things that He likes to see in us, we also learn about how to make each day fulfilling, and full of life.

Just because you take your thousands of breaths each day that you need and you can blink your eyes and exist, does not mean you are alive and full of life. Abiding is a moment by moment awareness of God and His desires for your heart, and His directions for your feet.

Now, do you want this?!!!! Me to!!! I think it sounds amazing and I want to have it each and every moment of every day I'm alive. But do you know what the very very best part about this is? When we live life like this, for our Savior, we bring Him glory. He is able to look at us and say, "well done good and faithful servant? You have been faithful with little, therefore I know you can be faithful with much?" And little is not little in His eyes, the way you mop the floors at your home, or do each little detail of your job with exact precision and complete focus...that is much to Christ. Your behind the scenes honoring Him is so lovely to Jesus, it makes His face beam with joy as you lift up your tired arms from scrubbing the floor or from holding the hands of clients, or from white knuckled hands from holding a steering wheel...and as you rock your screaming baby to sleep...one more night.

This abiding is two fold, one you are fulfilled, you are granted wisdom as you fervently seek Him and also, and even greater, your serving your Father, your honoring your King, and bring praise to your Father.

I might venture to say, you should never look at any small or big job the same...He designed each of His children to preform different tasks and by abiding in Him, each of those tasks for each and every different person, is huge to Him.

May this knowledge of the truth that I learned just oh so recently be a source of encouragement to your hearts today. Even when you tired, and I would say when your tired all the more reason to abide in His strength, in His guidance and most of all, in His love. I don't think that He wants His children to be walking around as though they are blind, but rather to lift their heads high with the knowledge of Christ, with the joy of the Lord and with the strength of the Savior, to perform the tasks that they are daily given in order to bring His name the most glory.

Be encouraged!!!