Remain a Vegetable?

[Chad]

Remain a Vegetable? - June 23, 2006

Okay, this is probably the kind of story you don't hear every day. I was doing a book signing at our local Christian book store, and they had all kinds of great contests and give-aways. My assistant was there helping me with the signing, and low and behold, she won the giant blow-up Junior Asparagus! Yes, the Veggie Tales guy. And he was as big as me. Honestly, I don't think I've ever seen anyone more thrilled over winning over-sized blow-up vegetation.

When the event was over, she put Junior in the passenger seat of her pickup. I had to laugh as I saw her driving off. I think she buckled his seatbelt, but I was still imagining the call: "I'm sorry to inform you, Mrs. Rhea, but your friend was in a terrible accident. She's going to be okay, but I'm afraid her passenger remains a vegetable."

Don't worry, remaining in a vegetative state is okay if you're already a vegetable. "Remaining" can be a good thing. Jesus instructed us, for instance, to remain- to stay in, abide in, hang on to- His love.

How? By doing what He said to do. He tells us in John 15:9-10, "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love."

Remaining a vegetable is good for a vegetable. Remaining lovingly obedient to Christ is good for a Christian. You'll love what you discover in your remaining. It's joy! In the very next verse, Jesus said, "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." Not half joy. There's complete joy in remaining!

By the way, and just so you know, Junior remains in his vegetative state. And while he may not be the chattiest passenger on the planet, since that book signing, my assistant hasn't hit a single problem driving in the car pool lane.

Rhonda Rhea is the author of "Who Put the Cat in the Fridge" and other insanely fun books, including "Amusing Grace" and "Turkey Soup for the Soul--Tastes Just Like Chicken." She is a radio personality and humor columnist and speaks at conferences and events nationwide. Rhonda lives in the St. Louis area with her pastor/husband and their five children. Find out more at www.RhondaRhea.net.

 

[hadirfuss]

Remain a Vegetable? - June 23, 2006
How? By doing what He said to do. He tells us in John 15:9-10, "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love."

Remaining a vegetable is good for a vegetable. Remaining lovingly obedient to Christ is good for a Christian. You'll love what you discover in your remaining. It's joy! In the very next verse, Jesus said, "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." Not half joy. There's complete joy in remaining!
.

This is a great devotional Chad full of promise. In all God's intercourse with us, the promise and its conditions are inseparable. If we fulfil the conditions, He fulfils the promise. What He is to be to us depends upon what we are willing to be to Him. 'Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.' And so in prayer the unlimited promise, Ask whatsoever ye will, has its one simple and natural condition, if ye abide in me.

It is Christ whom the Father always hears; God is in Christ, and can only be reached by being in Him; to be IN HIM is the way to have our prayer heard; fully and wholly ABIDING IN HIM, we have the right to ask whatsoever we will, and the promise that it shall be done unto us.

Thank you for posting this.
God Bless
hadirfuss

 

[andrewnicholas]

Thanks so much for reminding me of such an important tenet of our faith.