Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
John 15:4
This past November was by far the hardest month of my motherhood journey. Judah was sent home from his 3rd day of daycare with a fever. We treated the symptoms as a normal cold for the first few days, but as the days turned into weeks, and the weeks an entire month, my hope waned. My silly playful boy was weak, lethargic, and miserable. With 2 ER visits, blood draws, a handful of pediatrician appointments, no answers were found. He went from climbing and jumping to not wanting to use his legs at all. A month later, to the day, he woke up totally healed. No explanations except the power of prayer. One evening after an ER visit we laid our limp and sick boy in bed and the next morning he woke with renewed energy, strength, and hunger!
You read that last paragraph in an instant, but friend, the month was long. It was heavy and dark. But like any hard thing, God was writing a testimony to His goodness.
There were many days filled with moments of unique closeness. Judah isn't a cuddler by nature, but there was a closeness to me that he craved in his sickly state. He cried and moaned, but if I held him, he relaxed, almost instantly. He felt at peace and safe. The pain was still present, but if his skin felt the nearness of mine, he was ok.
There is something special that moms (and dads) get to experience when their kids are sick. They get to step into their needed role with an even brighter cape on. The hero and safe place for their children. It's a calling that is so undeserved and totally unearned, but simultaneously undeniable.
In that same month, I too experienced a closeness. But, for me, this closeness was something I had to choose. It was a peace that I could decide to leave behind each day, or purposefully put on. Fear and anxiety (thanks to google searches) seemed to be at every corner. Advice from well meaning friends and family was overwhelming. I was trying everything and anything to help my son, but nothing I did seemed to matter. Many evenings after putting Judah to bed, I'd look at my husband and just cry. I was afraid, and realized how out of control I really was as a mom.
But, when I chose to meditate on Gods truth and faithfulness, my hope returned. When I spent my conscious moments listing all of the ways God had come through in the past for me and for others, I slowly felt His powerful presence returning. When I recited memorized verses (specifically psalm 91) in my mind as I laid in bed worrying, I would slowly drift off to a peaceful nights sleep. A choice. A choosing of peace over worry. A choosing of His presence. A choice to abide or remain in Him followed by a promise fulfilled, that He too would remain with me.
How to Remain Close to the Presence of God
Spend Time with Him
You cannot truly know anyone unless you take the time to look into their eyes and spend time with them. Sit with them, ask them questions, and listen. God is present and available and deeply desires to be with you. Like John 15:4 says (above for reference), when we go near to God and remain with Him a little while, He will be faithful to remain with us. He will show us His goodness and in His presence we can find a peace. So, open His Word! Pray/talk to Him. Please friends, stop thinking about Him as this angry father whom you have to prove yourself to! He isn't that at all. He is patient and kind and adoring of you.
Obedience
There have been times in my life that I have felt His presence leave me. Like a cold wind rushing in, it was gone. As I have grown, I've learned that the difference between a good earthly father and God is vast. But, one thing stands out to me. A good earthly father will raise you in such a way that you should want to go. You should want to leave and do for yourself. Scripture says that a man should leave his father and mother and cling to his wife. I pray that I am brave enough to raise my sons in a way that encourages them to go wherever God calls them to. That I would never be a stumbling block for their obedience to live where and be who God calls them to be.
But, our heavenly Father plays a different role. His raising of us is in such a way that as we grow, we should want to be nearer and nearer to Him. That as we mature in our faith, our hearts and minds should be more and more fixed on His. When His presence seems to leave us, or we feel distant from God, that isn't God leaving us, but us leaving Him. So, like finding anything we ever lose, we need to backtrack. Go back in our minds to the place where we last felt His presence and peace. Replay our thoughts, words, actions, etc. When I do this, I can always find the place or places that I stepped out on my own, away from His will. The place where I gossiped, used harsh words (sarcasm gets me), allowed fear to get a foothold in my heart, held onto anger, etc. I find that sin and acknowledge that I cannot hold onto both sin and God. I have to let one go. I have to repent. I have to do the thing God called me to do at first, trust Him and obey His way for me. And the grace of God has always and will always meet me right there.
Repentance
A biblical definition of repentance is to make a change of mind, heart, and action, by turning away from sin and self and returning to God.
It is recognizing our sin nature and instead of sitting in shame, making the brave choice to ask for forgiveness. Turning to our loving Father instead of running further away from Him.
And the best news, no matter how far you've gone and for how long you've been running, He will be faithful to receive you back! John 1:9 tells us that "if we confess our sins, He will be faithful to forgive them." There are no exceptions here. Just a good, forgiving, grace filled Dad, who is all the way in love with you.
Benefits of Remaining Close
Fruits
Lets look at our key verse again, in The Message version.
“Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me. -John 15:4 (MSG)
When we remain close to Christ through spending time with Him, listening to Him/obeying Him, and repenting when we fall short, we will bear fruit! Just like a branch that is filled with the goodness of sweet fruit is the branch that is still connected to the tree. The branch that has fallen off, is trampled on the ground and holds the remains of fruit that is now rotten or had never bloomed in the first place. When we stay attached to Christ, we won't be able to help it but to bear the fruit of His Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-23 lists these so called "fruits" for us. This my friend, is the benefit of remaining close to our True Vine.
But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. -Galatians 5:22-23 (MSG)
I don't know about you, but I am signing up for that benefits package.
Friends we have a God who desires to be close to His children. A good Daddy who is never far away. One that we don't have to prove ourselves to or be enough for.
What is holding you back today from remaining close to Him?
Take a moment and think of the sweetest and dearest relationship that you have. What makes it that way?
Love you always,
Jessica
P.S. Use the picture above as a screensaver to remind you of Gods desire to be close to you and the benefits of remaining near to Him.
P.S.S. Would you consider sharing this post or another with someone you love or on your social media page? Thank you!!
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