Learning to Abide - Part 2

I can only abide in Christ because He calls me to. I can not do this in my own power, but instead it is an act of faith and an act of choice. I must simply believe and declare that I choose to abide in Him and trust that He will make it so. This is all beyond reason. I was one who struggled long and hard with the call to salvation, for my rational mind could not conceive of the promises God was whispering to me. Even the basic truths of the “good news” I could not reconcile with what my reason was telling me. It was only when a precious friend told me that I had to leave reason behind that I was able to learn what faith truly meant, believing what I could not see.

"Now faith is [the] assurance [or, substance] of [things] being hoped for [or, being confidently expected], [the] confident assurance [or, proof] of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1) Analytical-Literal Translation

I had to walk into salvation, taking a step into the unknown, with faith that God would catch me. The same is true of abiding. I do abide in Christ because I believe I abide in Christ. The rational mind says it cannot be that simple. Human reasoning makes things much more complicated than they actually are. What joy to learn that it is not in my hands at all, but because Christ calls me. And as for joy, boundless joy, it too is found as I abide. Jesus spoke that truth to me directly as I was journaling:

“Lord, in a dream or vision this morning I saw two brightly wrapped gift boxes. At first, I thought these were gifts I was late in giving to others, but a bit later the thought dropped into my spirit that these were gifts You had given to me but I had forgotten, put aside and had not opened yet. I am so sorry Lord God if I have ignored what You have so freely given. I do not wish to take anything from You for granted, not a single blessing should remain without thanks and praises to You. Can You tell me Lord which gifts I have left unopened? I feel like a child on Christmas morning, expecting great treasures, hungry to learn what I have been given, over anxious with greed, but greedy for You alone, my Lord.

Rightly you saw two boxes, for I say I have given to you new gifts in these days. These have not been sitting ignored or wasted, but freshly given to you, My beloved child. Both of these gifts are meant to be opened again and again. The first is wisdom, new each day as you allow My Spirit to reveal truth to your spirit. Wisdom you cannot obtain from the world. It is My wisdom, given as you need it and as you are prepared to receive it.

The second gift is My daily invitation to come away with Me. Come away in Me. It is the invitation to abide. The invitation to My bride.

Open these with greedy hands, yes, and a greedy heart, for I so long to see the joy they give you. Abide in Me, where Our joy is complete.”

All that Jesus is, I can be also, through Him, as I begin to abide. All that He possesses is then at my disposal as well. As I abide in Christ I will also have His heart for the lost, not because of any striving on my part, but out of the abiding and communion with Him where His heart becomes my heart. This is in fact what I have been praying for; to hear His heartbeat, feel His heartbeat. Without having words for it, I have for a long while been crying out for and aching to abide, but didn’t know I could, and didn’t know how.

I have known there must be less of me and more of Him, but I have learned there must be none of me and ALL of Him! I cannot fully abide in Christ until there is no me, no self left at all. Then all that I am is all that He Is. Is this possible? To my natural mind it seems impossible to die to myself completely, it is not a natural act or process however, it is supernatural and can only be possible because of the Holy Spirit that indwells and guides me. My natural man fears death of self while my spirit man hungers for the same, to be totally lost and then totally found in Jesus.