Spending Time with Jesus
All Day. Every Day.
By Pastor Adam Fox
Being married has brought a new experience to my life, living with a female. Some days are filled with hugs and affection, some days are alone days. It is a new adventure for me, and learning to adjust my perspective has been the hardest part.
How much she eats. Where she sleeps. Where I can pet her... to give some examples. Living with a cat has been hard.
(See what I did there)
Andrea has had a cat for 11 years. Isabella Diana Cat is our middle aged grey house cat. She grew up with a dog, then transitioned to a cat and has never been happier. For me, we have never had a pet longer than a week. I was the new one.
I have always seen families with pets, with cats. And had thoughts of how cats and humans interacted. Like, I thought that cats enjoy lasagna, being picked up and cuddled, and easily be made to do tricks.
Boy oh boy was I wrong.
Living with a cat has been different than I expected. Both for the good and bad. But living with someone is difficult. It means taking the individual, all the ideals and beliefs and putting them together with another free thinking individual. Thoughts will be different. Toilet paper will be put in the wrong direction (over the top), habits will be made and adapted.
That is what it takes to live with another person or persons. To abide with them. the other week I heard a wonderful sermon perspective being given on John 15. Normally, this passage is given about God and Jesus, or the Vine dresser and the Vine. And there are many great points that we can learn from this chapter. From analogies on growth and pruning and even about Hell. But what struck me was the word abide.
5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will[b] ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
Abide, or to accept or bear, in this sense does not seem to match up with what John wrote. The definition fits as well as Shaq in a tiny sport car.
But if we get to the root of this word, and most importantly how Jesus is using it in context, we will understand more of what the Good Teacher is trying to learn us.
Jesus wants us to abide or trust and believe n Him and God the Father. This trusting in God, this belief in Jesus in who He is and what He did for us is the most important moment of your life. It is that moment where you realize that you are a sinner and you deserve punishment for what you have done. But because of Jesus and His grace and mercy and kindness, He took the punishment that we deserve and paid for it with His life. Dead. Buried. Stone cold dead. But three days later rose from the dead and is alive today.
That moment, that special moment of trust in Jesus. When you become part of God's forever family is a life changing moment. But that is the problem. We as believers are stuck in that moment.
Think of it like this, the Catholic Cross. The cross was an important moment in History, our and the Worlds. But Protestant Christians do not worship that moment. We see the cross and understand its place, but praise the Risen Savior.
We are more than just Christians at that moment in time, we ARE Christians now. And should think of ourselves as abiding in God in the present tense of the word.
We are in a relationship with the Messiah. It is not just an excellent moment in time, it is a life long celebration. It is a life long relationship. and like any relationship it requires growth from us. I would like to assume that the Ideal Pastor Adam comes to a saving moment with God and stays perfect till death. But that is not it. I am a sinner. I am growing and learning still what it takes to be the Hands and Feet of Jesus here on Earth.
If we are in a relationship with the Lord, learning and growing, or abiding. We need to understand that like any relationship, it will not be perfect out of the gate. Look at the example of me and Isa the Cat.
I have learned that just because I want to pet the cat or try to put her in a funny hat, does not mean that she wants to or will let me. Let's just say she says no with her tiny little pointy claws.
We are alive and no longer dead to our sins because of Jesus. We need to live our lives every day with the confidence and understanding we are children of the risen King and are still living and following, abiding in Christ. Not just that singular moment in our past. Keep growing. Keep learning. Keep fighting sin.
We need to let the Bible, the complete and accurate Word of God change us. Mold us. Shape us into the image of Him. Will it be easy? Nope. Will it cause us to hurt? To some extent yes. If I give up smoking for example, it will be a struggle and some pain until I adjust to life without it.
A great way to be dressed by God and molded into the image of Him is by being in His Word. Studying and reading. Letting the Words of Scripture change you. Talking and Listening. All things that make us less like ourselves and more like God.
What areas do you need to let Christ mold you and form you?
Are you letting the Vine Dresser and the Vine change you and strengthen you? Or do you still thing of Jesus as that one special moment instead of a life time with us?
That is all for now my friends. School is back. So it will be a busy two months. Pray for me.
Cheers and Excelsior!
Pastor Adam
