Prepare Ye the Way
by Judy Stull
Unspeakable tragedy has occurred in the town of Newtown, Connecticut, USA. Our hearts are broken and our minds are reeling from the “Why?” we keep wailing. There is no answer that makes any sense of this blatant evil attack that robbed us all of these little ones and their teachers. The only place we can take this manifest evil is to the cross of Jesus where He has already absorbed its effects. He will redeem the day if we let Him. He heals the broken hearted, binds up the wounds of the captives and mourns with those who mourn. Our God is grieving with all or us.
This is the season of preparation (Advent) and it invites us to consider the condition of our hearts, we can take this opportunity to confess and repent: cleansing our hearts and looking for His return. (We need to be doing this all year long but at this time of year the church calendar points the way to a more intentional time of spiritual searching.) We abide in the Vine surrendering to the pruning process that our Father wants to do thereby getting rid of the dark places within.
John 15:8, ‘By this My Father is glorified that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples’. If we want to be disciples, we must become totally dependent on the Vine. It’s essential! We are nurtured by feeding on all the facets of the Vine. ‘Tarry in the Lord,’ says Andrew Murray. This will help us stick to our source — that source of ours that enables us to produce good fruit; the fruit described in Galatians 5:22-23.
Without the Vine, we have no foundation from which to grow. Total dependence on the Vine will help us to become more and more intimate with Jesus. In that intimacy, we find His strength working in and through us to touch those who are living in darkness. All of His attributes are available to us as we are totally connected, abiding in the Vine, taking time to ‘tarry’ with Him. He is the one who has given His all for us. How blessed we are!
When senseless tragedies occur around us and we are abiding in the Vine, we can freely express our broken hearts to Him, crying out, “Come, Lord Jesus!”
Let’s be reminded to linger with the Lord preparing a greater place for Him in our hearts. Let the Vine Dresser lovingly shape us into His peace and His plan.
Prayer: Father, as we seek to understand the circumstances that happen around us, and as we seek to abide in You, help us to surrender what keeps us separated from You. We are Your disciples. Cleanse and enlarge our hearts as well as our territories. Amen.
Judy Stull has been involved with Ellel Ministries since 2006. She is a retired school teacher and has been a minister’s wife for 40 years. Together she and her husband have one son who is married with two children. They are part of the leadership team at Ellel USA.
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