The Joy of “Basking in the SON”

Ahhhh. Summertime is here at last.

Fresh air, birds singing, blue skies, and of course… SUNSHINE!

With the season of cookouts, pool parties and beach vacations come plenty of motivation to work on your tan! 

Of course, nothing ruins fun-in-the-sun like the over-indulgence that leads to burned buns or cancer cells, so lubing up generously with sunscreen is a must. However, summer would not be the same without leaning back in a big lounge chair and taking in some warm and wonderful RAYS.

Have you ever thought about what is really happening as you are “working” for that perfect golden bronze?

The only “work” that is actually involved is your exposure to the energy and light of the sun.  You don’t have to help the sun change your skin color or worry that it won’t get the job done. You simply RELAX and BASK in its delightful warmth; the transformative result is guaranteed.

In much the same way, your life in Christ is not about what YOU DO, but what HE DOES.

If you don’t understand this, you will consistently block your own progress by TRYING too hard. The key to success is learning to get out of His way and let Him do His job by LETTING GO and LOOKING UP.

When you do this, you will realize not only that He WANTS to shine on you, (Ephesians 5:14), but that when you rightly position yourself to receive His power and light, you become illuminated yourself (Ephesians 5:13)! This means He is able to SHINE THROUGH YOU in a way that glorifies God while at the same time renewing, refreshing, and restoring your own soul. (Matthew 5:48)

Remember, Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12); It is only in His light that we see light (Psalm 36:9); apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5). Since He is the vine and we are the branches (John 15:1), we honor Him best not by striving or straining to make things happen, but by simply “abiding in Him.”

In other words, your primary work is to “be the branch.”

A branch abides in the vine—it doesn’t have any life or strength of its own. If it is separated from the vine, it will wither and die, and FAST. It is the VINE that provides EVERYTHING the branch needs to live and flourish. 

For this reason, “being the branch” is equivalent to “basking in the Son” or practicing the presence of God in Christ Jesus. When this crucial vine and branch relationship is functioning as it should, it’s a beautiful picture of REST, PEACE, and glorious JOY.  

As King David said of intimate closeness with God, “In your presence is the fullness of joy.” (Psalm 16:11)

Just thinking of God and His many attributes gives you the assurance you can rest securely in His arms. He is a loving Father who has already provided you, His child, with everything you need for life and godliness; you just have to position yourself to RECEIVE (2 Peter 1:3)!

You BASK. He Brings. 

Your life is energized, reinvigorated, and flooded with light. 

That’s a pretty sweet deal.

So, RELAX! Soak up the Son! Let His light envelop your soul.

The moment you feel stress, strain, or worry creeping into your heart, RING THE ALARM!  You are no longer abiding, resting, or trusting. Perfect peace in Him is always attainable, but it is dependent entirely on your FOCUS. (Isaiah 26:3)

So, choose your thoughts wisely and CUT OFF EVERY NEGATIVE THOUGHT as quickly as it comes. Lean back into your mental and spiritual “easy chair”. Look up and see the light, love, and beauty of the Son—Jesus.

His invitation is clear: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:28-30)

In other words, bask in the SON!