On Friday Ps. Mike spoke about the different ways people know us - some may know us as just a name on a call list, some may know us by the nickname we've used since little league, some may know us as a son or daughter... Christ longs to know us intimately, deeply, passionately; like a husband knows a wife; He longs for "into-me-cy!" And so our relationship with Him is not a one time or every-so-often mountain-top event, it is a process, a lifestyle. Just as a marriage is not just the wedding and the anniversaries, it is an everyday decision to love that person and to live life with them. John 15:6-11 puts it this way: "If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."
In order to remain in Him as we come down from the "mountain-top" that is a weekend spent with like-minded people, in an almost constant worshipful state of mind, we must remember to read the Word, fellowship with other believers as often as possible, and pray throughout our days. We read and study the Word individually because we cannot rely upon our Pastors and Youth Ministers to get us through lives ups and downs, we have to be grounded in the truth. And all too often we need the truths found in the Living Word to throw at the enemy as he tries to tear us down with lies about ourselves. The enemy would love to see us become ineffectual branches, not necessarily doing anything bad for the Kingdom, but not doing anything good either... We have to OWN our faith, it must be personal, yet relational. Then the fellowship of the body is as vital as the support and encouragement of our family. And our constant, open, and continuous conversation with Christ serves to remind us that our focus should be the glory of our Father and His great love for us! My favorite note from that night from Ps. Mike is "Faith is not taught, it's caught by others as we live it out!"
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