GATHERED IN CHRIST - As One Who Abides
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. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:4-5 NRSV)
Jesus promises us that if we live in Love we will abide in him, and he in us, and his joy will be complete within us. We are called to this Love, made for it. Yet how many of us succeed in living out Jesus’ simple yet profound command to love one another? Since all of us fall short, how then, are we to abide in him? Jesus also promises, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).
We do not abide by our own wisdom and power (John 6:44a), but through the love and power of God. We open to this power by asking, by seeking. We abide, not by trusting in our own righteousness, but in recognizing our need for God’s help and constantly seeking to follow God’s will.It is this attitude of seeking—rather than presuming we already know the way—which brings us humbly intoGod’s care, outstripping our feeble understanding and limited power, filling us with God’s grace. It is through humbly seeking that we are found, we abide in him and he in us, and our identity as but a branch attached to the true Vine is realized. And his joy in us is complete.
Query for Reflection
What in my life needs to be pruned in order to abide (stay, remain, continue) more fully in the love of Christ?
Action Step
Share with a member of your meeting what you feel God is calling you to prune from your life so that you may bear more fruit.
Prayer Focus
Dear Jesus, Draw me into your love, abide in me, and help me abide in you.
Christopher Sammond
.png){kind=small}
