Practice



Pray: Dear Lord, thank You for allowing me to count on Your presence. Thank You that I am not alone in the world without my God to guide, shape, and save me. Thank You for Your constant willingness to be with me and be in relationship with me. Please use this time to continue to grow that relationship. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Read: John 15:1-11
http://www.esvbible.org/John 15:1-11
. . . ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

Think about It: Being constantly attentive to the presence of God serves one incredible function; we are more aware of the will of God. This doesn’t mean we are entirely privy to all of God’s counsel, for no man deserves that. But when we live in an awareness of His presence, we are more in tune with His Word and more attentive to our prayer lives. This draws us deeper into His heart and into knowledge of His good and perfect will. When we know God’s will, we are able to pray that will into existence in our own lives and the lives of others.

As we abide in the Lord He helps us understand His will. And of even greater difficulty sometimes, we come to accept His will, for it is not always the same as ours. Our sin rises up and causes us to desire things that are not of Him. Just after the words that Jesus speaks in our reading for today he heads into the Garden of Gethsemane and asks the Father to release Him from this work of suffering for our sins. But in the end He relents and declares, “Not my will, but Yours.” Because Jesus lived in the presence of the Father every moment of every day, He was    completely aware of the Father’s will. And while that didn’t stop Him from expressing an alternate plan, He was surrendered to the Father’s will. But here’s the deal. Not only does living in the presence of God make you aware of His will, He also empowers you to act on His will obediently. Once again, God handles both sides of the equation.

Pray: All the Heavens
As Your children gather in peace All the angels sing in heaven
In Your temple all that I seek Is to glimpse Your holy presence

All the angels exalt You on high What a kingdom to depart
But You left Your throne in the sky Just to live inside my heart

All the heavens cannot hold You, Lord
How much less to dwell in me
I can only make my one desire Holding on to Thee
© 2000 Mark Lee / Third Day CCLI#551204

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