Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Master of the Universe on the front porch and I lingered there with Him until the scorching sun sent me to cooler places inside. Our Time didn’t end because we were interrupted. I just relocated and we picked up right where we left off because He wasn’t finished with me yet and I’ll never be “finished” with my God. Spending the first part of my day in the Presence of the Author and Perfecter of my Faith is THE BIGGEST priority in my Life. He says “Abide in me,” and if I don’t Work hard on our Relationship, abiding in Him will not even be within the realm of possibilities. If I let life get in the way, and if I refuse to get the Nourishment that it takes to “abide” in Him, I’d be chasing a crisis and losing control of my thoughts, and before long, I’ll be lost in this journey called life and NO LONGER LOST IN HIM! Isn’t that the way you see your Relationship with the King of all kings too?

When you think about how most relationships fall short of what people dreamed they would be, it’s not a surprise that their Relationship with the Living God would fall short too. Some people will endure a relationship no matter what, and they’ll “stick it out” even though there is no abiding love whatsoever as if doing a life sentence without loving is the honorable thing to do. But nobody wants a love like that – ESPECIALLY not the Living God. He wants us to be consumed by Him. He wants us to consider Him above all else and He wants to be a part of every part of our lives. He wants us to consult Him on all of our major decisions and He wants to know that He’s front and center at all times. He wants to “smother us” with His Love. Oh, and He’s a jealous God too…He’s not willing to share. In fact, He demands to be our One and only. The Living God wants ALL of us and He will never be Okay with us just “sticking it out” with Him like some sort of life sentence or out of some sense of obligation because that’s what you’re supposed to do…He wants us to be with Him because that is what we DESIRE to do…HE WANTS OUR ABIDING LOVE!

People often wondered how and why I spent most of my life flying solo as if there was something wrong with me because of it. A few of them were bold enough to suggest that I might not like men at all (because I’d rather be alone than miserable)…I say, shame on them. I remained single all those years because I knew what Abiding Love looked like and I never would have settled for less. Nothing could have tempted me into a miserable life sentence just for the sake of not being alone because I Know (with God) I AM NEVER ALONE. God Almighty sets the threshold for how Love is supposed to be, and nothing short of that would ever be good enough for me…OR HIM. And I Knew that if God decided that it was time for me to give my heart and my life to another person, He’d send me Abiding love, and I’d be loved in the way that I deserve to be loved as a Child of the Living God…AND HE DID! Now the Living God is front and center in OUR lives and together we Abide in Him.

How about you?

Do you Abide in Him, or are you hoping He’ll settle for less?