by Kala Loptien

Abide in Him for Life

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“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. Whoever 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 English Standard Version

Our 60’s neighborhood is lined with stunning, mature trees. We have a nice mixture of aspens, evergreens and several ornamental varieties, displaying pink and white blossoms. The scene is quite beautiful. This vibrant tree stands right outside our living room window. We watch in anticipation as it changes with the seasons: pink blooms>green leaves>burgundy fall tones>bare branches.

Jesus uses the word abide three times in our passage for today. Strong’s Concordance has the transliteration as the word meno, which carries a very similar connotation and weight to the word abide as we know it. It means to stay, to remain. For those of us living in a climate conducive to vegetation, this seems like a metaphor we should understand. We watch healthy trees and plants continue to produce vibrant leaves and fruit. Should a branch go an errant way or begin to break off from the vine, we see that it soon dies. Those are the pieces that then are cut off or pruned and thrown away.

Jesus wants us to remain in Him. To do that, we must spend time in the Word –absorbing truth and allowing God’s promises to drench our soul. We also need to be fed and help feed others as the body of Christ, in fellowship with one another. Prayer and wisdom that come from the Spirit help keep us steadfast, walking in His will and strengthening us for the seasons ahead. When the storms of life befall us (and that’s when, not if), we remain secure, having abided in Him and He in us. Apart from Him we are dead branches. It is He who gives us life, and He who enables us to bear beautiful, continuous life-affirming fruit. May we ever abide in Him.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado