New Year is one of my favorite times of the year. It is such a great time to renew goals and have a fresh start for the New Year. I am currently in the fifth month of the World Race, and I am in the country of Cambodia. My squad and I rang in the New Year here in the city of Siem Reap. It was so much fun. People here really go all out to have a big celebration. We welcomed 2015 with a bang!
Well this new year I was challenged to pick a word or phrase that would direct and give purpose to my life for the next 12 months. I prayed and sought the Lord for what that word should be. That day He brought me the word, “Abide,” three times.
Abide (verb): to remain, to draw near
Jesus has pursued me my entire life. He loves me so immensely and has never left me. This year, 2015, He asked me to abide in Him. I purpose this year to draw near to Him and remain for all of my days. I don’t want to know about God. I want to know God. He is mine, and I am His. His entire heart is mine. That is the most beautiful gift, and I am not going to take it lightly. This new year I am going to pursue my Jesus as He pursues me. I am going to study His love letter to me in the Bible, talk for hours with Him through prayer, and rest in His loving embrace. My identity, my foundation, my everything is in God.
As I continue for the next 7 months on the World Race, I want to be an overflow of His love to the nations. I want to be so full that it bursts out of me. The word, abide, has given me new energy and excitement for what lies ahead during this mission trip. It gives me passion and fire. And unless I seek to abide in Him everyday, I will have no effect on this journey. Apart from Him, I can do nothing. With Him, these next 7 months on the World Race will bear much fruit for His glory! How exciting!
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” John 15:4
