Plug-in
I have this amazing lamp that sits on my cabinet beside my chair which gives great light in the early morning hours, allowing me to read. I loved getting up every morning, going into the prayer room when it’s dark and turning on this lamp.
Several days ago the lamp just stopped working. I mean literally, it would not light up. At first I thought the light bulb had blown out. But after some investigation I discovered that the connector that plugs into the base of the lamp, which plugs into the wall, was bad. It was not until trying to find out why the light stopped working did I realize how valuable this desk lamp was.
I had this lamp for at least a year and I did not know all the resources it had available to me. I did not read the instructions, I just took the lamp out of the box, plugged it in and that was that. What I discovered was that the lamp had more useful features. First, I was not using the lamp to its fullest potential. What I thought was a shade was actually a cover to protect the lamp and should have been removed. Second, the base of the lamp was a phone charger!
What a lesson God used to teach me about Him and His word. First, if we do not stay charged to the base we cannot give any light to the world. My lamp still sits on my cabinet waiting for its charger but it cannot do anything for me. It cannot bear its fruit. It is a lamp and it can give light but unless it is charged I can’t receive any fruit from it. God said: 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. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. John 15:4-7, ESV
It is life transforming when we accept Jesus Christ as our personal savior! Yes, indeed we have received eternal life with Him but that is just the beginning of all we have in Him. This is like me with the lamp only taking advantage of the one part. If we just accept Him and move on with our life we are missing the most important part of why He died for us! He came most importantly so we could have relationship with Him. He wanted us to be able to abide in Him and share His light with the world! The lamp was offering me more than I had tapped into.
It does not matter if you find reading the Bible boring, just go sit with Him. I mean put away your phone and anything that will distract you and go sit with Him. Sit in a room, a closet, your car, whatever is available to you that gives you some privacy and He will talk with you. He cannot develop a relationship with you when other things have your attention. Just give Him your attention, plug into Him. I cannot receive from my lamp because it has no source. We cannot receive from God all that is available to us if we do not plug in. You will be so strengthened when you leave that time with Him that you will wonder how you ever moved in life without it.
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11
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