THANKFUL

Chatting with Jesus
Monday, July 3, 2023

Lord, you often spoke about the necessity to ‘remain’ in you. If we stay connected—remain—to you, you assured us we would live successfully as your follower and not be bulldozed by our circumstances. Also we’d be productive in furthering your kingdom here on Earth (John 15:1–17). And as a benefit, you give us an extraordinary eternal retirement package if we remain in you. I want to be a remainer.

So, Lord, why would anyone choose not to remain in you? You do everything you can to remain in us, but because You gave us the free will, we can remain in you or just walk away.

Observing the chaos in our nation and around the world, and so much is out of our control, gives us another opportunity to choose to remain in you and trust you will do what you say you will do, or throw our hands up and declare the situation hopeless.

Maybe social pressure and the fear of rejection by the woke culture causes many to separate from you. Perhaps some thought the surrender of their will to become a Christ follower wasn’t as easy as they thought it would be.

It’s a different story for remainers. The peace, love, and comfort you give cannot be measured in human terms. Nonbelievers fail to understand how remainers’ faith and your grace carry them as their world around them falls apart. Remainers learn to love as you love, especially those most difficult to love. Remainers see you working on their behalf while the world sees only doom and gloom.

Lord, help me be not only a believer, but also a remainer. Amen, Jesus