Prayer Garden

This has been a tough day for me so far, not the day I had planned and certainly not the outcomes I wanted. The only thing good about today so far is that I can finally put to rest a controversy in which I've been involved. And then there is the Word of God that has come to me in spite of all my struggles with pride and anger.

Gethsemane. A garden of olive trees. A place of solitude and a place to get close to God. Jesus went there often and found it the place where He could accept the will of the Father over His own fears of pain, humiliation, rejection, and betrayal. It may seem odd but today this place at my computer is my garden of prayer.

His words stir something in me: "Sit here, while I pray." I sit here while He prays for me! He is interceding on my behalf. I am just here. I am with Him. I need His prayers and I feel at peace.

"Remain here and watch," He told Peter, James and John as they went a little further away from the rest. Remain here. Watch. Watch Jesus pray. Watch Him commune with His Father. Remain. "I am the vine you are the branches, If a man remains in Me and I in him he will bear much fruit. Apart from Me you can do nothing." John 15:5 I remain with Him. I allow His life to flow through me. I can do nothing without Him. He has given me a promise of much fruit.

Then talking directly to Peter, Jesus says "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation." Watch out for the temptation. Watch for the weakness of the flesh. Sleep comes when I should watch. I may miss my moment, my God moment. Pray. Prayer strengthens my spirit and my bond with my God.

No matter how many times I sleep when I should watch and pray, Jesus is always at prayer for me. He never fails. He is always ready for anything that might come. He is strong when I am weak.

Father, forgive her she does not know what she is doing! She does not know that I take the cup of her sin. She does not know my love for her is complete. She does not know that my plan for her will be fulfilled. Forgive her!

John 15:5

I am the vine you are the branches. If a man remains in Me, and I in him,

he will bear much fruit. Apart from Me you can do nothing.

Yesterday I was thinking through this verse I memorized a couple of months ago. I was focusing on just the last line "Apart from Me you can do nothing," and came up with some interesting thoughts. Here is what I pondered.

Without God I have no existence, no life, no purpose, no being. I may try to work apart from Gods' influence, but without Him and I being connected, I cannot accomplish anything that will last.

This sentence begins with the word "Apart" and ends with the word "Nothing." In the middle is "Me" and You. " When I am in the center with God I belong to something marvelous and lasting, but away from Him I am apart and nothing.

I also noticed that within the entire verse we see a change. First it talks about "He" who remains in God and then uses the word "You." My questions were why does the verse change from he to you? Could it be that it is addressed to different groups of people? or is it addressed to all people?

I could put myself into both statements. I remain with Christ through my commitment to Him not just in name only. I also agree that apart from Him I can do nothing. Not everyone who reads this could be put into the first statement, because not every Christian remains in Christ and bears fruit. This statement seems to apply only to those who are committed to live their lives as disciples of Jesus and remain close to Him no matter the circumstances.

The second statement (Apart from Me you can do nothing) applies to all people everywhere! We cannot exist or accomplish anything of even temporary value without his sustaining power. We depend on him for our next breath, for our food, light, air etc. Our lives are in His hands even when we do not believe in Him.

Lord, Author of Your Word and Holy Spirit , who speaks into my heart, I am amazed at You! I am awed by your workings in my heart and mind and soul and strength! You alone are the one I can turn to find truth and understanding. I believe You when You have said that I can do greater things because You are the one who accomplished those greater deeds when I am willing to remain in You. You have designed me for this very purpose: to do Your work, in Your way, in Your time. In this alone can I find satisfaction and delight. I give You praise and may the Glory be Yours!