All or Nothing

This weekend I attended Main Event, an annual conference in Cedar Falls for collegiate students. It was my 5th Main Event experience, and wow. . . the title of the weekend says it all.

This weekend, the focus was John 15:5 "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing."

I came away from this weekend with a new and greater understanding of what it means to know Jesus, to know the Living God, the One and Only. Why do I go through life thinking I can pick and choose the times that I draw near to Him? Or why do I think that I can do things on my own, and why do I try and control or rule everything in my life? God wants me to REMAIN in Him. Not remain in myself.

I also realized that I go through life just longing and trying to produce fruit. I get so frustrated and beat myself up, when really - it's not hard to produce fruit! It happens NATURALLY. I cannot force it. So I went back to the source. . . it is God. It is not me who will produce fruit, it is God. And the only way that I will see it happen in my life is if I remain in Him. Mmmmm. I love new truth.

The greatest moments of this weekend were learning the length of my life. You can too! Okay, as you read this, pause for a moment. Take a deep breath in, and let it out. . . did you do it? THAT is how long your life is. Our lives are but a breath; are we living it with ALL that we have? Or are we just running aimlessly toward the end? It will come quick; I want to make the most of these days. The other greatest moment was thinking of my life as an equation. Me+nothing else=a big fat ZERO at the end. Me+God=EVERYTHING. God can do anything; all authority belongs to Him! And even if you take me out of the picture (for God doesnt need me to accomplish anything. . . He is going to do it no matter what) you still have this equation: God+nothing=EVERYTHING! For example: God alone, with nobody around to teach Him, to guide Him, to imagine it, created the UNIVERSE in a word. With just His words He spoke the earth and everything in it into existence.

How am I going to live my life? Is it going to be ALL that I have? Or will I give NOTHING and come to the end with a zero on my scorecard? I want to KNOW Jesus, I want to stop looking for what God might be doing, stop looking for His miracles and majestic displays. . . I want to KNOW HIM personally. Psalm 27:4, 8 "One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD And to meditate in His temple. When You said, "Seek My face," My heart said to You, "Your face, Lord, I will seek." David is referred to as a "man after God's own heart." I want my life to stop seeking out the things of God-the created-and to start focusing on God Himself-the Creator. I believe that intimacy and friendship with God will be the start to a fruitful life.

God, would you use me in my breath of a lifetime. Would you keep me on this earth no longer than needed; would the length of my life be only the time you need to expand your kingdom through me. God, would you water me and grow me, and would fruit naturally pop out of me in this world. I pray you would give me the easy ones God, that I may meet people ripe and ready for picking. Challenge me, strengthen me, and use me even today. Amen.