Christian Living

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What does the word abide mean? One of the definitions is "to accept without objection". We have heard the Lord Jesus Christ use the word abide before in the gospels, but I finally wanted to figure out what he meant when he says, "abide in my love" and "abide in me", in John 15. I want to fully grasp what he means in this chapter of comfort and peace. Jesus is speaking to his disciples in this chapter in the book of John. These words are meant for true followers of Christ and this conversation was not in the public square. The word abide appears ten times in the first ten verses so it's evident that Jesus wants us to abide. If we apply the definition of accepting without objection to what Jesus says, we are to accept his perfect love without objection. We are to rest in it and take it for what it is. There is still part of me that wants to try and earn the perfect love of Jesus but it's impossible. It's just there for us. He is there for us. We must abide in him no questions asked. Take His love for what it is. I picture it like a big easy chair. At the end of a long day we look forward to coming home and just falling into that big comfy chair. I like to picture myself falling in the arms of Jesus and just staying there and resting as long as I want. The chair is holding us and comforting us. We let the chair do it without any help from us. We rest in it.
I'm not saying that the word abide is that simple when Jesus talks about abiding in him and his love. The chair example is a start but there is much more depth to his statements in John 15. He's painting a picture of total dependence on himself. We can do nothing without him. Unless we are completely tethered into the true vine we are useless. We are dead. The vine gives us life and purpose. Fruit is produced. God has been bringing me back to this chapter in John. I didn't know why at first. I would read and then read it again. I didn't know why I kept needing to read it. Ok Lord, I'm supposed to abide in you or I can't do anything. I get it. I'll be cut off if I don't bear fruit. I get that too. Why am I reading this again?
The Lord was showing me that I needed to stop trying to abide and just abide. He bears his fruit through me. I don't bear the fruit. If I'm in Christ, he lives his life in me and through me. I don't live anymore. I don't try to live the Christian life because I cannot do it. The verse that was immediately brought to my mind was, "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.(Gal 2:20 NAS). Now I'm starting to see that I'm gone. Christ is ruling, reigning, and living in me. He's living my life now. I'm just simply letting him do it. That's the hard part. The abiding concept of accepting without objection. I still want to try to live life but I end of failing because it's me trying. I'm not letting Jesus live in and through me. We exhaust ourselves by trying and trying and failing and failing. I'm glad that God revealed this important truth to me. In our humanness it's hard to give up any type of control, let alone someone else completely running our life. It's surrendering what our earthly body fights so desperately to keep control of.
Abide. Such a small word but such inexhaustible truth. I will strive to stop trying. I will abide instead.

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