Jesus, Our Life and Breath (#163 of 365+)

“He is not far from each one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being’” (Acts 17:27-28)

“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)

Lyrics to “The Motions”
Matthew West

No regrets, not this time/I’m gonna let my heart defeat my mind/Let Your love make me whole/I think I’m finally feeling something/‘Cause just okay is not enough/Help me fight through the nothingness of life

I don’t wanna go through the motions/I don’t wanna go one more day/Without Your all consuming passion inside of me/I don’t wanna spend my whole life asking/What if I had given everything/Instead of going through the motions?

Take me all the way/(Take me all the way)/Take me all the way/‘Cause I don’t wanna go through the motions

There is a term called “walking in the flesh”, which is when a Christian continues to live and do works without being conscious of the life-giving presence of the Holy Spirit. It makes being a Christian monotonous. According to Joni signs of walking in the flesh include:

-prayers become dull
-witnessing becomes dry
-a job becomes routine
-relationships sag under the weight of selfishness
-my relationship with the Lord turns into a chore

“Count yourselves… alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11)

I should daily examine my walk, take inventory of what’s in my heart, and remember that God is my very life and breath. He isn’t a little wooden god that I carry around on my keychain. He’s the Living God of the universe who wants to commune with me on a daily basis! When I respond to his presence day by day, moment by moment, this is called walking in the Spirit. It’s crucial to living the wonderful, amazing, mind-blowing life he wants me to live.

As Joni said, “Nothing is more mechanical than when we attempt to live a supernatural life apart from God”.

Lord, ignite your fire in me today... Help me live this week with gusto, to the fullest, in the power of your Spirit. Amen.