Salvation provides our divine union, but the secret of
receiving spiritual power, which is resident within us, is to surrender our all
to Christ and to be still as we wait on God. The fact that we abide in Christ,
and that He abides in us, is the impetus for our whole life of service to Him.
This fact motivates us through His divine life within us, and humbles us to
serve our Living King as Christ sanctifies us for Himself.
God wants nothing less than complete consecration of our life
to Him by laying down our goals and dreams, and daily taking up His cross. We
do this by submitting every talent and physical resource we posses to the
direction of God’s Spirit. We also see the reality of our union with Christ as
we read His Word, and this makes us desire more of God, to enter a deeper
spiritual realm and to take full possession of the power of the divine Christ
within us.
This is our joyous, high calling in Christ Jesus (Philippians
3:14), and causes disenchantment with our human existence. The fuel for our
union with Christ is prayer. Prayer enables us to walk in spiritual harmony
with Christ in us. It opens communication with our Father and allows His Spirit
to lead us in obedience to God’s will for our life. Prayer also expresses the
pleading of our heart for oneness with the triune Godhead.
Prayer articulates the yearning of our soul to grow into
the fullness of the stature of Christ (Ephesians 4:13). Daily,
we confess our sins and ask for His absolution. This deeper union gives us
more power in our prayers and ministry. We do not use prayer as a means to gain
spiritual gifts for our self, but for the purpose of blessing the world around
us. We enter the realm of effective, fervent prayer, which avails much (James
5:16).
If we dare to pray without first having this union with
Christ, we end up spewing ineffectual words, which fall on deaf ears (John 9:31). However,
as we abide in the Vine, the power of the Vine extends into us as His branches.
We are one with the Father through the Son, hidden in God with Christ who is
our life (Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:3-4). We
ultimately reap the rewards of our patient vigil of waiting on God’s will.
Prayer:
Father God, You answer our questions and provide for our
needs as we spend time with You in prayer (Matthew 6:33). You make
us one with Your Son by Your Spirit. We abide in Him and He abides in You, so
that we can also flourish in our union with You (John 17:21). Teach us
to pray according to Your will, so that we can ask for what we need in order to
do Your work on this earth, and it shall be done for us (John
15:7).
Thought for the Day:
Attentive prayer is our greatest means of abiding more closely
to our Maker’s heart.