WEDNESDAY WISDOM: Our Endless Energy Source
Isa. 49:8 "Remember this, fix it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels. 9 Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. 10 I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. 11 From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.
John 15:4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will[b] ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
Everyone one of us is concerned about our direction and purpose in life. We know that it is important to follow God’s purpose of destiny for our lives. But, we struggle with how to handle negative circumstances that seem to indicate that we are not fulfilling our destiny. How do you know if you are fulfilling destiny or if you are on a detour, or if you have reached a dead end?
When we realize that we are on a detour or have reached a dead end, we must make a “destiny decision”: 1) Leave the detour by following God’s calling and direction for our lives 2) Repent for allowing ourselves to wind up at a dead end (Acts 17:30, "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent")
A parable from nature: The Second Law of Thermodynamics states: "in all energy exchanges, if no energy enters the system, the energy of the state will always be less than that of the initial state." A wind-up type watch will run until the energy in the spring is renewed by winding it again. A car that has run out of gas will not run again until you walk 10 miles to a gas station and refuel the car. Without the infusion of more energy, things will decline and decay over time.
Jesus, the Word of God and God’s purpose for your life are energy sources for your life. Without Christ, the word or the knowledge of God’s purpose, we will decline and decay.
Jesus said, “Without me you can do nothing.” We can do stuff, but it doesn’t count without Jesus being at the center of it. This is like taking pictures with a camera without film or a digital media card. It is like a couple who had a wedding ceremony, but the preacher never turned in the marriage certification form.
When we build our lives on the Source of life, Jesus Christ, we have an endless source of energy and a purpose whose branches are firmly connected to the the True Vine.
