There is an old hymn that says, “I need Thee every hour … I need Thee, Oh, I need Thee, every hour I need Thee, Oh bless me now my Savior, I come to Thee.” Today I read John 15 in my devotions. The entire chapter speaks about us staying connected to our Source of power and strength; Jesus Christ. One of the verses that particularly touched my heart was when Jesus said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5).
A simplistic, but realistic picture painted with the words of Jesus for each of us today. There can be no victory in life apart from a relationship with Jesus Christ. Athletes can win world championships and still have empty and unfulfilled lives. Many of the wisest university professors sit alone without hope or confidence because in all their knowledge, they have missed the key ingredient to each life … Jesus Christ. Other religious leaders, while telling scores of people to follow their religion, fall prey to the same vices and sins that plague all humans, because they have established their entire religion on works, and not Christ alone.
Today I do not want to look at others and point an accusatory finger … I want to grow closer and closer to Christ myself. I want His thoughts to become my thoughts. I want His goals for my life and for this day to become my goals. I want His Word to hold the place of authority in my life, not the wisdom of the world around me, or the philosophies of others. I want my worship to be what He shows me from His Word, not what has become the popular brand of worship of the day. In short, I want to be consumed with Christ and His desires for my life today.
In order for this to happen, I must bow my knee to Him in absolute humility and contrition. I don’t want to be the leader of my heart and life today. I want to yield that control over to Christ and the Holy Spirit. I want to be emptied of myself, and my selfish desires, and to be filled with the Holy Spirit of God in every aspect of my life. I want to have such a strong connection to the Vine that when the winds of life blow hard upon me and my life, that I remain attached and fruitful.