Abide!

Abide!

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. John 15:4 KJV

It is always a symbiotic relationship, where I abide in God and He also abides in me. I am not the one claiming to be what I am not, but my life is a visible and audible representation of my inner content. Men come in contact with me and they immediately know where I have been and who I have been with. Men of old, like the apostles in Antioch were called Christians because their lives showed off who was living in them. So, am I all lips and no truth? Am I the one who has to shout out that I am a Christian, or is His fruit evident in my life?

The word 'abide' is quite fundamental here: it is to remain stable or fixed in a state; to sojourn; to conform to rules and accept without objection. I believe the picture is clear. You do not abide until you realise you don't have other options. As long as you can get out and find an alternative, even if it is for some time, you have not yet learnt to abide. As long as there are other 'viable' options, your residence status cannot be determined. I believe the word abide wasn't used in error; it is the finality of it that makes sense. You are stuck with Him; there is nowhere else to go. In fact, you are not willing to go anywhere else because nothing and no one can give you what you already have. That is abiding.

Picture a branch that is attached to the vine. It gets its nourishing from the vine, and continues to supply fruit to all who come near. As long as the vine is attached to the source of nourishment, the branches are bound to receive nourishing too. There is no danger of the vine being uprooted, because this is Jesus Himself. However, as the branch, I am only relevant and fruitful as long as I remain attached to the vine. Any branch that seeks independence from the vine, or thinks it will be fine away from the nourishing of the vine is due for trouble.

And in that is a warning that is good for all time: you can NEVER outgrow your need of Jesus. He is not your every day buddy that you can choose when to talk with or relate to Him. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and He is the reason why you are alive in the first place. I can never outlive my need for Him, his help, grace, mercy, protection, provision and so many other needs. He is not a temporary rest stop, which I can then abandon when the use has been fully exhausted, but He is my resting place, the place where all my needs are met, where my life is fashioned, moulded, filled, and fashioned for impact. He will not force Himself on me, but a time is coming when my life must answer for all the decisions I am making now. What's it going to be? Am I abiding or content with just getting by? His time of favour is here.