#day23 :: abide

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
 
{27 days of prayer}
special edition :: women's retreat

We are currently in the midst of the women's retreat at The Rock, the church Sam Johnson, her friends and I attend. I just got dropped off here at home a bit ago to sleep, since with my medical issues sleeping at home will be better for me, and I have written and processed so much and experienced His presence in powerful and personal ways I cannot even begin to explain. I have to write something. Something or I will literally burst at the seams. 

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

Our retreat is called "abide" and it is based off of the verse above, John 15:4, and as I've been looking at the invitation the last couple weeks and just camping on that word "abide." It has evoked many images for me, but none as powerful as the one tonight that intersected with several places the Lord and I have been over the course of the last few years.

Tonight, there was a moment when I flipped back to the end of the retreat booklet and saw the theme verse and my eyes could just imagine that of a tiny child swaddled and completely wrapped up in that of a blanket, an image that I cannot get out of my head or stop thinking about when I hear and think about that word, abide.

Today's verse, which I wasn't even planning on having us do one till after the retreat, but though I've had a busy day and literally haven't stopped moving since I left the house at 7:30 this morning, I could not not write.

This verse is like water to my soul right. Springs of living water and an intimate invitation from the One who sees and knows our hearts. An invitation to simply come, live in me. We will do this together. You're not in this alone. Abide, live in me. And I in you. I am here and I am with you. Will you dare to simply trust in me, trust and dare to believe and rest, like this of a tiny child, surrounded, enveloped, and safe in my loving arms. Abide in me. I don't think I have ever heard sweeter words.

Praising and celebrating our amazing Heavenly Father tonight, the One who is truly able and DOES do immeasurably more than we could ever ask for or imagine, our God who hears, our God who sees, our God who fights for us, our God who longs to provide.

Praying this verse over us today, that this would be real in our lives and in our hearts and praying this over Sam today as she continues to look to Him and trust Him with her every need, not just something she started doing when she began support-raising, but a faith that has been burning in her long before that and we commit our dear sister to the Lord and His incredible plans for her life. That by His mercy and grace, she would fall even more deeply in love with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and continue to live a life of abiding in Him.

In the precious name of Jesus,
Amen.