Abiding in Christ
Jesus tells us to “abide” in his love. Why should we “abide”? Jesus tells us that this will give us Joy!
You are all faithful people, and you probably have more to tell me than I have to tell you about living out your faith. But, this abiding thing has real merit.
My best “abiding” in Christ is done in private. My preferred time is between 11 o’clock and midnight on Thursdays. That is my hour for adoration. And I do truly love that hour.
I chose Thursday night for a couple of reasons. One, is that I have only one more work day to go so I can get by with limited sleep for at least one day. Second, I am a bit selfish. I really love being with My Lord, by Myself. And, by 11 o’clock I am generally assured that I am the only one present here.
Part of the time I spend here is saying Night Prayer in the presence of Jesus Christ. It is the final prayer of the day in the Liturgy of the Hours. Actually, I sing parts of Night Prayer – and I am not a singer – that is another reason I like 11 o’clock at night. Night Prayer is so beautiful and it, more than any other prayer, gives me the feeling of really abiding in Christ.
And when I leave at midnight, my heart is filled with Joy. My Lord never fails me! Even if I enter with a heavy heart, by the time my hour with him is up, I am filled with Joy. That is one way I experience the truth of what Jesus says. I just wanted to take this opportunity to reaffirm how true his statement is. When I take time to abide in Jesus, he fills me with Joy, and that is a fact.