There are a lot of 'ifs' in the Bible and there is a good reason for them. We were given a free will by our Creator God which enables us to make choices. We are not robots programmed to behave a certain way, we have a choice in the matter. When Jesus gave, as it is recorded in John 15 where in just 27 verses there are 9 'ifs', certain promises and attaches the little word 'if' to them, He is saying we can or we cannot do what is stated. The 'if' promises that when the conditions are met the consequences will follow.
The seventh verse gives us information about abiding. That is an old word we don't hear much anymore, but it means to continue or remain. He said that if we continue in Him and if His words remain in us the conditions for answered prayer are met. I believe that once we are in Him it is a permanent status. Nothing shall separate us from God as Romans 8 claims, but the day to day, second to second art of living is up to us. We can choose to remain in His words or not.
One of the Wesley brothers wrote about his mother regularly being found in her rocking chair with her Bible in her lap and her apron over her head as she went to her secret place in a small house full of the activity of her children. We can all find a secret place where we can get alone with His Words and pour over them and let them penetrate our very being and take root and develop into life changing precepts. The wonderful consequence of this remaining is that we can understand what God wants and our prayers will come more in line with His will and if they are His will, they will be answered. He promises that.
No comments:
Post a Comment