Read John 15:1-11
The real sercet to loving the Lord our God with all our strength is to stay close to Him.
He used the word “abide:” stay, remain, wait.
In the last week, thinking about strength, it has been tempting to dwell on our own efforts and the things we do to serve. However, we have seen that the Lord energizes our work, He joins us to produce work, He works in us to meet His requirement, He upholds us when strength runs dry, He is the Master whom we serve, and He holds our measure of health and strength in His hand.
It’s safe to say, as Jesus said, “Apart from [Him], you can do nothing.”
The real work can be found in John 15, as Jesus talks about the Vine (Himself) and the Branches (that’s us). He said, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
The real work is asking.
When we love the Lord with all our strength, it really is always an exercise in asking for help.
Like a little child who cannot fix the bowl of cereal he needs for breakfast, we must ask for first the bowl, then the cereal, next the milk, and even for the spoon. In many cases, we must even ask to be hand-fed because we are not adept with the spoon.
When we rely on the Source, then we are able to produce fruit. If we are separated from the Source, we can only shrivel and die.
Easter is coming. It is a tale of One who loved the Father with all His heart, all His soul, all His mind, and all His strength. He did it perfectly. And yet, time and again in the story, we see Him asking for help.
We need the Father. Lent is a time to live in minute by minute realization that we are helpless on our own. Easter is a time to celebrate the fact that we are not alone.
Resurrection Day is coming! Abide.
Sarah Dixon Young 