Abiding in ...

If we want to have God in our lives, we must first learn to abide in our Creator.

The word abide has several meanings, usually beginning with the negative connotation of “to put up with or tolerate.” A second definition is “to wait patiently for.” I like that one, but if you do a little research, you’ll find another meaning that I believe more clearly illustrates what I think Jesus meant when he was instructing His disciples.
“To continue to be sure or firm or to dwell or sojourn.”

I sometimes think we see God almost like the great and powerful Oz – impossible to approach without performing some heroic feat. The truth is we can’t perform heroic feats without intimately knowing our Creator. If you don’t believe me, just think about David and Goliath. Most of us aren’t even thinking about performing daring deeds; we just want to get through each day with some sense of peace.

But how do we do that?

As Jesus was talking to his closest friends during his final hours on earth, he told them,
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” John 15:7, NASB.

The Message gives an even clearer picture:
“But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon.”

These verses are within the context of Jesus’ teaching about the “Vine and the Branches.” Earlier he says he’s the vine and God is the vinedresser who takes care of the branches –
that would be us.

In verse 5, he tells us that those who abide or, make themselves at home with him, will bear fruit, but without this kind of connection, we can do nothing.

It begins with a relationship that requires active interest, care, and love between God and us through Christ.

I am sometimes amazed when I read the Bible.
It truly is like a love letter … from the Creator of the universe to His beloved creations – each of us.

Blessings, Francine

2 comments:

    On 11:31 PM David Meigs said...

    Amen, only Jesus gives life and we MUST abide in Him for it to flow through us.

     
    On 1:21 PM Magdaleine said...

    I like this post. "Abide" comes from the Greek word "Meno" which means to sojourn, tarry, not depart, to continue to be present, to endure, to wait. (see http://bible.crosswalk.com/Lexicons/Greek/grk.cgi?number=3306&version=nas )

    So Jesus is inviting us to sojourn (or travel) with Him, to tarry or stay with Him, to continue to be present and not leave Him, to persevere or be enduring in our connection to Him as we wait on Him. When we are doing this, what we ask for will be in keeping with His will so of course He will do it for us!

    Thank you for writing what you did. It has encouraged me.

     
 
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