So Easy to Do… So Easy to Miss Out
The funny thing about this topic is that every single one of us, no matter how surrendered to God you are, can find this happening to us. Why, because it is so easy to talk about God, but takes conscious & deliberate effort to abide in Him.
It takes effort to spend time with Him & spending quality time with Him is a great way to abide in Him.
So just checking off your “Christian checklist” is not enough.
What Does It Mean to “Abide in Him”?
First, I think it’s important to talk about what it even means to abide in Him.
John 15 is the chapter of the Bible that easily comes to mind on this & is probably where we ought to start:
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:4-5)
“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John 15:9-11)
(*It’s important to note here, in parallel to last week’s blog post “You Cannot Out-Love God–So Stop Trying,” that keeping God’s commandments is how we abide in His love… not by living your way instead.)
Abiding means to remain or stay, along with some other definitions you can find with an easy internet search.
Not Just Doing Things “for” Him… But Actually Spending Deliberate Time WITH Him
A book I read years ago on the subject, (I believe it was by Andrew Murray), mentions how, when Jesus was alive, He talked a lot about FOLLOWING Him, but that as He was readying to leave & return to His throne in Heaven, He switched it to ABIDING in Him.
It seems so easy to go through life our way, trying to be pleasing to God, obviously, but our way… & end up not really spending time with Him.
As someone who has had close personal relationships where the friend didn’t ever take time to talk to me or spend time with me, I can say from experience that there began to not really be much of a relationship there at all. Sure, I still loved them & knew they loved me… but our relationship wasn’t very strong.
I realized in those times how God must feel when I just try to do things for Him, but never actually stop to spend time with Him. Ouch.
I can talk about Him all day, & actually get pumped up doing so… but I am missing the whole point if I neglect to actually spend real time with the One whom I keep talking about.
“Mary Has Chosen What Is Better… & It Will Not be Taken Away from Her”
The pair of sisters who always come to mind is Mary & Martha, in Luke 10:38-42.
Martha was NOT doing a bad thing. She was doing a GREAT thing, in fact—she had JESUS in her HOME & she was trying to be the best possible hostess that she could be for Him… but then, when she saw her sister just letting her do everything, just sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to Him… she understandably got pretty miffed about it. RUDE. But when she confronted Jesus about it, hoping He would jump to her defense… He gave a quite surprising response.
“Mary has chosen what is better & it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:42)
We can get SO caught up in DOING for Jesus & TALKING about Jesus, that we can miss the thing that is far better—Spending TIME with Jesus.
Talking about Jesus Is Not the Same Thing as Abiding in Him
Do you spend time with Him? Do you, so to speak, spend time at the feet of Jesus, listening to Him, learning from Him? Do you talk to Him/pray without ceasing? (He hears every thought, you know.) (1 Thessalonians 5:17) Do you read His Word, the Bible, & think over His Words day & night? (Joshua 1:8) Do you take time to thank Him? (Romans 1:21; Psalm 136:1) Do you praise & worship Him? (Psalm 103:1; Psalm 150:6)
What priority does He have in your thoughts? In your day? Do you turn to Him in every need? In every need of wisdom & direction? Of peace? Strength? Help? Hope? Do you ABIDE in Him?
Is He the One to Whom you turn when you have need? Do you talk to Him even when there is no present need?
Talking ABOUT Jesus is NOT the same thing as ABIDING in Him.
Shine TRUE Hope by taking time with Him, learning from Him, getting to know & love Him better every single day–the worthiest pursuit of all!!
Remember…!
“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)
***He is waiting for you… will you come?:***
***(Romans 3:23; Romans 5:8-10; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:9-10; John 14:6)***
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Have a wonderful week living for His glory in all that you do!
