Come....and Stay!

How incredible to be asked to "come" by the King of kings. This thought has come to my mind several times in the past week. Scriptures where Christ beckons us to approach Him and receive all that we need are hard to fathom. That the Almighty, Uncreated One would allow me to even enter His divine presence is a wonder to begin with; however, I've been reminded that He has called us to an even deeper, more intimate place.
A few years ago I felt a great pull in my spirit to go and spend some alone time with the Lord. I was at my parents home in West Virginia and so I went down to the basement and lay down on the carpet. I really had nothing to say, no prayer requests came to mind, but only a simple desire to be with God. I laid there on my face for maybe ten minutes in silence. The only communication taking place was my heart and God's...His love and my love being exchanged. After some time I decided that I was simply wasting my time and could be doing far better things for God's kingdom than laying on my face on the floor. As I went to get up I had one of the most distinct times of hearing the voice of God in my life. His words were, "Don't leave yet..." Now immediately the reality of God hit me and I spent quite a bit more time on my face thanking God for His love and nearness. This moment has not left me in the past few years and it is not until recently that I've understood it's importance.
The highest aim of God is for union with His people. This union begins when God says come to each and every heart and by His grace we are drawn to Him. However, this is simply the BEGINNING place for that union. The EVEN GREATER call is that God tells us to STAY! How wonderful when someone you love and desire asks you to come and speak with them, but to be constrained to stay is a far greater pleasure. John 15 speaks of this great desire in the heart of God to have His people "abide". To abide is to stay or remain. I'm tired of my "amens" at the end of a prayer translating to "see you later God". There is far more to life than "time with God". There is abiding with God. Never leaving. A constant, life-giving flow of relationship that can be maintained through every daily chore, work activity, and conversation.
The beauty is that it is by God's grace that we can stay. He has made the way for us to come and given us the ability to stay. All we are called to do is admit that we are weak and unable and receive His fresh mercy each morning to believe that His power is enough to conquer our minds and wills and keep us in that Holy of Holies. In that place where the only thing that matters is loving God with all of our being. Loving him with every action, every gesture, every thought, every movement and knowing that we do this because we have received indescribable love from Him! Let me ruin all of your comfort zones right now by saying that there is far more to this life than we are experiencing. We have been created to abide. I may be abiding for one hour a day (on a good day). But I want unbroken fellowship. I'm sure if it becomes our aim and pure goal that God will give us more and more as we humble ourselves before Him. For any of you who are hungry for this, let me give you two books that will truly set you on a good path: Practicing His Presence by Brother Lawrence and Andrew Murray on Prayer by Andrew Murray. Try them in the order I have suggested and you will not be dissapointed (of course use these in conjunction with the greatest book of all...the Bible). I love you all and am praying for God to give you a desire for unbroken fellowship with Him.

Jacob