abide in me

abide in me.

I opened my journal to write and the first thing that came to my mind was this

"You abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides with the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:4-5)

As I am typing I'm suddenly aware that He answered my prayers before I even knew what they were gonna be. Because from this verse on I spent an hour thinking and praying about school, about work, about being salt and light, and I came back to this verse.

So many things I'm thinking about: How to do my work well, produce good lessons, teach them well, care for them and be Christ's light to them?

Suddenly realised today that I am not a very caring person after all. I can conduct a lesson, move from task to task, think about how activities flow from one to the other, but I'm stumped when it comes to showing care and concern. How can I get to know them?

Which brings me back to abiding in Him. There is no way except to abide in Jesus and to keep myself in the presence of the Holy Spirit. My heart *longs* to be His instrument, His light, to live a life that is set apart for Christ.

My heart longs for You, my Saviour
I would follow You, my Lord
Your kindness and love
Are vast as the skies
Your faithfulness never dies
My God and my King
Your great name I sing
My offering of praise I bring

Jesus, O Jesus
I give You my life
Jesus, O Jesus
I give You my life

My soul contemplates Your glory
I worship in holy awe
In quietness and in confident trust
I rest in all that You are
I'll sing to the world
Your glory and grace
Until I behold Your face