Abiding

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 NLT

To abide — to remain, to continue, to live in Christ, to stay close to Him and follow His lead, “sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to His Word with a heart to obey.”

Jesus reminds us in John 15, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” In verse 4, He reminds us to “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.”

God wants us to bear fruit. Just as a gardener trims a healthy plant to maximize growth, our divine gardener is willing to cut away even good things to focus energy on the best things. His use of pruning shears doesn’t mean He’s displeased with our growth; it may mean that He is generating greater growth in you and I.

In order to produce much fruit, we must remain…remain in Him. Apart from Him, we can do nothing. Paul reminds us however, in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Remain in Him. Abide. God is able to give us the strength to do what He has called us to do, if we abide.

In verse 7, Jesus says, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

Jesus desires for us to bear much fruit. The only way that we will be able to do that is if we stay close to Him and follow His lead. Will you take that step of faith to walk in complete obedience to our Father? The great Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step.” Will you take that first step in faith, to abide?

Be blessed,

Ofelia