Theme of the Week: Abiding in Christ
Bible Verse: If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. John 15:7-8 NKJV
Scripture Reading: John 15:1-8; Philippians 4:4-9; 2 Timothy 3:14-17
Have you ever lost connection on a cell phone or a Zoom call? And it seems never to fail that when we get disconnected, it’s in the midst of that important conversation, or we freeze with that embarrassing last facial expression. None of us like disconnection, yet it is all too common and, these days, all too personal. We can also find ourselves disconnected from the things that matter most to us: family, friends, church, community, and even our relationship with God.
In John 15, Jesus gives his hearers a solution to spiritual disconnection. It’s contained in the word “abide” or a more common word to us: remain. In the first 11 verses of this chapter, Jesus uses this word 11 times. Do you think he was trying to tell us something? What does it mean to abide? Author Warren Wiersbe says that to abide “…means to keep in fellowship with Christ so that his life can work in and through us to produce fruit.” (Warren W. Wiersbe, Bible Exposition Commentary Vol 1: New Testament (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 355.)
How do we stay connected? In verses 7-8, Jesus gives us a key through a 2-way communication. God speaks to us through his Word, and we speak to him through our prayers. If we allow these things to be a consistent part of our lives, we can be assured of a solid connection.
We use various terms interchangeably to describe this connection: “walk with God”, “spiritual disciplines”, or “spiritual habits and rhythms”. Whatever term we use, the meaning is the same. Connection will not be maintained unless we remain connected on a consistent basis. If we learn to abide in his Word, we will be connected to his voice and will for our lives. If we learn to access prayer daily, we can bring our needs to him and invite his will to be accomplished in our lives. Voila…connection!
Abiding in Christ is not passive. Abiding is active. So let’s act today. Remain here for a few more minutes. Meditate on these verses. Talk to God concerning your desire to remain in him. Do this, and you’ve already begun to abide!
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