What does it mean, in Christ we live and move and have our being? I’ve seen something about this lately.

Like anyone else, I find times when I can’t go along with the things the Lord is wanting me to do. I’m well aware that when I usually get over these rebellious patches, usually by finding myself in a glorious time of knowing His presence, the lesson is always that things would have been better sooner if I’d only just thrown myself onto Him and His grace at the time. Rebellion doesn’t allow for that, though. I suppose maturity is evidenced by how soon we give up stubborn resistance whenever it occurs. I’m faster at it than when I started.

But the big truth in it all is that it’s only when I get embedded in Him that I actually can do anything He’s wanting me to do. Surrounded by Him and His love, anything’s easy. Nothing’s too much for Him to ask. And I know I can do whatever the task involves, even supernatural things – no problem.

This has been the case when called upon to pray for a killer cancer in its last stages, or in having to work to sort out violent men who are high on drink and drugs. Putting my hand to the plow and then not ever looking back, is easy to do if surrounded by the Lord Himself. From in there, life’s a breeze, it’s all natural, the way is clear ahead, and it’s all sure-fire and easy.

To paraphrase, He’s also said that doing anything while apart from Him, or doing anything that is apart from Him and His agenda, actually counts for nothing. Whatever good that comes of our own efforts for people, it doesn’t necessarily connect people directly up with Him and the Kingdom and what He’s most wanting for them that day, that hour. Doing what He isn’t doing with them can even detour them out of His ambush further down the road. It’s always better to move in synch with Him.

Lately He’s emphasized the point, yet again, by taking things a step further. Sometimes, especially for us ladies, the only thing that really answers a state of exhaustion, weariness at well-doing, just plain being fed up with the sameness of the walk, is to abandon oneself into the caretaking arms of another. When there isn’t any other ‘out’ from everything that pulls and demands and drains, giving up and burying oneself in someone stronger is the one cure.

Strangely, letting everything go for someone else to have to deal with the world, effectively puts paid to the world. And when that someone is Him He starts sorting the world out while we do nothing. We all are aiming to get to the point where we think like He does about things, feel like He does about the world, and see through His eyes. That’s the high goal: being conformed to His image, transformed into His likeness. But it doesn’t actually have to be a far goal, or one that will only happen ‘in a twinkling of an eye’ once we’ve died. No, we can live and move and have our being in Him even now.

The answer for tiredness, is Himself. The answer for inability, is Himself. The answer for a miraculous outcome, is Himself. As He said, “You search the scriptures thinking that in them you have eternal life. They speak of Me, yet you don’t come to Me.,” “..how often have I longed to gather you to Myself as a hen her chicks, yet you would not.,” “Come unto Me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” The call is to be in Him, to ‘put on Christ,’ and find yourself living and moving and having your being in Him. You stop in Him - in Him Who never stops - and He just carries you along as He goes. It is a thing to be tried, maybe, in order to know it.

It’s a thing all we Christians know of to some degree. But every now and again He deepens the image of it and repeats the call to come in. Maybe that’s what this week’s message is for you. It was for me. And afterwards it took no effort to paint the picture. Blessings.