Closer Than Nearby
Well, hello there, friend, come on up to this ol’ front porch and settle yourself into a chair that has rocked more stories than a wise ol’ tortoise sittin’ under a shade tree watchin’ generations come and go. I’m mighty glad you stopped by today. Some conversations need the kind of stillness you only find where the breeze carries the smell of pine, and the porch boards creak like they are sayin’ amen. Today we’re talkin’ about a question that can make even seasoned church folks shift around in their seats. John 15:4 says, “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself. It must remain in the vine.” That verse sets the tone for everything that follows.
Is being around Jesus the same as truly knowing Him? Judas plum proves it’s not. He walked beside Jesus for years. He saw miracles that would make a stubborn ol’ mule rethink its entire attitude. Yet his heart stayed far away. James 1:22 warns us not to merely listen to the Word but to do what it says. Listening informs us. Obedience transforms us. We can underline verses about trust while worryin’ so much that even the lil’ ol’ chipmunks start lookin’ real uneasy. Scripture is meant to lead us into a livin’ relationship with Christ, not just a collection of religious habits.
Now consider Zacchaeus. That determined lil’ ol’ tax collector climbed a sycamore tree like an ol’ possum that heard the sound of a cookie jar openin’. Luke 19:5 tells us Jesus stopped, looked up, and called him by name. One encounter plum changed Zacchaeus. He opened his home and his heart. He repented. He made things right. Jesus said in Luke 19:9 that salvation had come to his house.
Judas spent years beside Jesus and resisted surrender. Zacchaeus spent one afternoon with Jesus and began to change. Romans 12:2 reminds us to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. Psalm 51:10 deepens the truth. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”
Jesus said in John 15:5 that if we remain in Him, we will bear much fruit. Fruit is evidence of connection. A life connected to Jesus produces love, patience, mercy, humility, courage, and obedience. We won’t become perfect overnight, but we shouldn’t remain unchanged year after year.
Lord Jesus, forgive me for settling for knowing about You instead of truly walking with You. Search my heart and reveal anything I have refused to surrender. Renew my mind, reshape my desires, and help me obey what You teach. Let my life bear fruit that shows I belong to You. In Your name, Amen.
Friend, do not settle for just sittin near to Jesus like a curious lil’ ol’ deer sniffin’ around at a garden gate. Don’t be like a hungry ol’ hound dog that smells supper but never even takes a bite. Let Jesus into every room of your heart, even the ones you guard like a lil’ ol’ squirrel protectin’ its last acorn. Being near Him may change your surroundings, but surrendering to Him will plum change your story. And long after the lil’ fireflies fade out and the night creatures git quieted down, a surrendered heart will still be tellin’ the tale of grace.
With joy,
Gwen
