In John 15:5-7 our Saviour, Shepherd, King and Heavenly fiance admonished us to remain in Him just as He remained in the Father. he tells us this because He knows the trauma/ dramas we will face! Christ loves us so much that He wants to carry the burdens we have in our lives for us. I love to think of the poem "Footprints" because it talks so much of us abiding in Him. It is as we abide in Him that He carries us through our roughest and toughest moments. He takes us through the fire so that He can refine us so well that all impurities dies and He is then able to see Himself reflected in Him.

 

There is a pearl of Great price in each of our lives that deserves our everything. (Matthew 13:45-46) That Pearl is a personal walk and talk with God, giving up everything so that we can have something that is uniquely precious. He asks our all but do we give it? Why does it seem as if we second guess ourselves and hold back our all? Almost as if we wonder if He is worth the price? What is the everything that holds you back from LOVING your Jesus? Is it the desire of fame and fortune/ Family? Friends? the desire to be in a relationship? What is it that keeps you from getting to the true heart of worship?

 

Truly and fully there were quite a few things that held me back from taking that next step in abiding in Him. It is so easy to get bogged down by the evryday issues- and end up forgetting Christ. So as I was reading a few new devotionals I realized something- for the past 5 years I have not fully used my time outside of a relationship wisely. I have not really fully taken my heart to the next level, I haven't gone seeking the PEARL! As Joshua Harris said in "I Kissed Dating Goodbye"- 'God gives us singleness- a season of our lives unmatched in boundless opurtunities for growth, learning and service- and we view it as a chance to get bogged down in finding and keeping boyfriends and girlfriends. But we don't find real beauty of singleness in pursuing romance with as many different people as we want. We find the real beauty in using our freedom to serve God with abandon.' I want to serve Him with abandon! I want to give Him my all! I want to sit like Mary at Jesus's feet in worship! I am so tired of all of the dates and stuff- I want to give God one year of my UNDEVOTED attention. So begining tomorrow, I will be on a Sabbatical from dating. In this year I will not entertain any thoughts of dates and relationships, for a full year the only man who will have my heart is Christ.

 

Who would have thought I'd finally say 'okay Daddy it's just really only You and me' anytime within the next five years? Who knows I may actually take it to 2 or 3 at the end of it all. Only God knows. But I am on a Sabbatical, a journey seeking after a precious jewel, and I'm praying that in the end my Daddy can look down and say- there she goes- the one who truly sought after my heart and sought to abide in ME! She chose the better way, she found the pearl of Great Price!

 

Praying that you are encouraged and hope to hear about your journey! Until later I pray that You keep John 15 in your heart and Spirit.

 

Your Sister in Christ,

Natasha