In John 15, Jesus uses the analogy of vines to explain what He meant when HrJHHe told His disciples to abide in Him. He said: ‘Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing’ (John 15:4-5 NIV). Abiding in Jesus simply means to stay with Him. When we’re connected to Him we can do far more than we can do alone. We are connected to His strength, His love, and His wisdom. And that will make us fruitful. We’ll be able to produce the fruits of the Spirit in our lives (you can find out what these are in Galatians 5:22-23). When we are producing these fruits in our lives, we’re living more like Jesus. The Bible says: ‘Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked’ (1 John 2:6 ESV). Abiding in Him also means remaining in His presence. It’s in His presence that we find rest, courage, and peace. In the Psalms, David said: ‘One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple’ (Psalm 27:4 NIV). Is abiding in God’s presence our top priority? So many things can try and distract us from dwelling in Him, but with His help we can remain in Him and enjoy ‘being’ in His presence.

What Now?

Listen to the song ‘Abide’ by Housefires. As you’re listening, write out any of the lyrics which stand out to you.