As there are basics for maintaining physical life (food, water, sleep, and exercise), so there are fundamentals for sustaining one’s connection to Jesus. They are meditation (listening), prayer (conversation), and exercise (obeying).

Listening to an old-fashioned radio required tuning. Via a dial, the receiver was tuned to the specific frequency of the desired source. If one wanted to listen to the Grand Old Opry, one would tune to WSM 650 AM.

Maintenance commences with meditation. In the Bible “meditate” is a rather humorous picture word. Literally, it means: a cow chewing its cud. So, meditation is the act of chewing a portion of the Bible over and over until it becomes a part of us. I rise before dawn that I may meditate on your promise. (Psalm 119:147-148)  “Meditation is the activity of calling to mind, and thinking over, and dwelling on, and applying to oneself, the various things that one knows about the works and ways and purposes and promises of God.” (J. I. Packer)

In concert with meditation is prayer. Praying is CONVERSATION with God. O God, hear my prayer and open your ears to the words from my mouth. (Psalm 54:2) One’s address should include praise, thanksgiving, confession, and requests about everything. If it concerns you, it concerns your Father. No subject is “off-limits”!  “Do not worry about proper praying, just talk to God. Share your hurts, share your sorrows, share your joys – freely and openly. God listens in compassion and love, just like we do when our children come to us.” (Richard J. Foster)

Third, maintaining connection with Jesus involves exercise. After instructing his disciples Jesus said:  Now that you know this truth, how happy you will be if you put it into practice! (John 13:17) Paul asserted the same: Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. (Philippians 2:12) Exercising means working out what meditation and prayer have worked in. 

A branch must stay connected to the vine to bear fruit. It is the same with you. John 15:4