abide
dwell
reside
stay
live in
These are all words that describe my prayer for 2010…my prayer that God would abide in me…live in me…dwell in me. Abide is my word of 2010.
Many thoughts come to my mind as I ponder the word “abide” and all that it means. I think about the desire that God live in me. I think about my part in abiding in Him.
A big, big theme that God has impressed upon my heart over the past few months is SIMPLICITY. In reading books like Not So Fast: Slow Down Solutions for Frenzied Families by Ann Kroeker, I am learning that when I am too busy or too “cluttered” and overwhelmed with life, that I am missing out on the most important things. I do not want to look back on my life and realize that I was too busy to worship. Too busy to pray. Too busy to serve. Too busy to love. Too busy to sit at His feet. I am learning that I have to say no to many, many “good things” in order to say YES to God.
I almost chose the word “simplicity.” However, God is showing me that the reason He is asking me to simplify (my stuff, my time, my life) is so that I can ABIDE in Him and He in me. Simply beautiful.
Prayer…waiting on Him…meditating on Him and His Word. Time with Him. I have much to learn this year…this is just one way for me to focus my prayers, scripture study and thoughts. I’m sure God will show me things I’ve never imagined when thinking on the word “abide.” My hope and prayer is that not only will I learn more, but that as days turn into weeks and weeks into months, His abiding in me will be second nature. He will have taken over so much of the yucky “me” that only His love and His light shines through. More of Him…less of me.