Most Important Of All

I'm reading a great little book by Francis Fangipane and read a quote that has stuck in my mind for some time now.

"We are called to abide in Him not visit with Him."

Have you ever heard or read something that just sticks with you for a while? We'll that what has happened to me. Oh how I want to do more than visit with the Lord in the morning hours of my quiet times.... I want to learn how to abide IN HIM all day long. I cherish those times in the early morning when it is just me and Jesus... not interruptions other than my mind that just wanders too much at times. I think of the words from the book of Psalms where it says, My heart has heard you say, Come and talk with me. And my heart responds, Lord I'm coming. I beleive in the immeasurable value and spiritual discipline of those daily times in the Word and prayer... yet my heart yearns to abide in Him all day long, not just those moments. And such a relationship is available to us all.

Do you know that the Lord delights in You? Sings songs over you? Has so many good thoughts about you that they can't even be counted. He cares about every detail of your life... and mine too.

Holy Spirit teach me how to abide in you... to remain in you... involving you in every detail of my life.... all day long!

As I was thinking along these lines I was reminded of 1Peter 4:7-9 .... a real mind blower. The world as we now know it is coming to an end... that being the situation the Holy Spirit is telling us there are a couple things that really need to be top priority in our lives.

1. Be diligent and earnest in your prayers - this is all about that quiet time and learning to abide in His presence all day long. For the essence of prayer is relationship with God. Out of that relationship will naturally come intercession and other forms of prayer

But then we are taught that

2. MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL - deeply love others. Wow... did you catch that? Most imporant of all? What could be more important than being diligent in your prayers? The Holy Spirit teaches us - LOVING OTHERS DEEPLY!

I have been challenged this Christmas season to prepare myself for a new dimension in 2009. To prioritize like I have never done so before - my prayer life and my love walk... I want to be closer to the Lord, to be more diligent and have more heart in my prayers as well as to love people deeply like I have never done so before.

Holy Spirit help us today to listen to your voice and hear the direction you are giving us as it relates to the priorities in our lives. Teach us how to pray as we should... and teach us how to love people they way you do - DEEPLY!

Well... there are my thoughts for the day... it seemed kind of like ramblings at times, but I pray the Lord will speak from His word into your life today!

Blessings,

Kev