Today’s reading: John 15:1-11
Ten times in John 15:1-11 Jesus uses the word “abide” as He talks with His disciples about their relationship with Him and what living a healthy, godly life requires and looks like. According to dictionary.com, the word “abide” (used as a verb like it is by Jesus in John 15) means:
- to remain, continue or stay;
- to have one’s abode, dwell or reside; or
- to continue in a particular condition, attitude or relationship.
When I think about Jesus’s command in verse 4 to “abide in me,” what comes to mind is an interactive and dynamic relationship that requires me to be an active participant. The primary way I can have and maintain that kind of abiding relationship is to spend time with God in His Word, the Bible–taking it in, considering and praying about what I’ve read and then putting into practice what God has revealed to me and impressed on my heart.
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me” (vs. 4).
What does this passage convey about the importance of regular interaction with God through His Word and prayer? How have you experienced abiding in Christ? How would you describe the experience of abiding to someone else? Tami
Source: Tami’s Blog
