It's bedtime and I feel like writing. I told the girls I meet with to pick a verse to meditate on this week and journal about it every night before bed so I'm gonna do it.
John 15:4-7 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. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
Abide in me. What does it mean to abide in Jesus? I cannot bear fruit or even live apart from Jesus. If I abide in Him and His words abide in me, I can ask whatever I wish and it will be done for me. Do I abide in Christ? Abiding in Christ- living in Christ, our lives are hidden in Him, His blood covers our multitude of sins, God sees His righteousness and not our filthiness because He has chosen us and caused our hearts to be able to repent and acknowledge our need for a Savior, and believe that He is all we need to be in right relationship with God. Why is it so hard for me to abide in Christ? I'm scared to really believe that the grace of God is really for me. How can you abide in someone who you won't really let love you. Help my unbelief Lord.
...First day back on campus and it's been good but as always there's the undercurrent of guilt. This is bigger than my circumstances, God's got me here and He's holding a mirror up to my heart and it's not pretty. I'm desperately insecure in our relationship so I'm always scared that I'm not doing enough for Him. I know in my mind that Jesus loves me but Lord write it on my heart. I want to be free to stop having to prove that I'm someone through the things I do and start loving other people.
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Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully around hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements... But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers of love is Hell. --C.S. Lewis
1 comment:
This passage often brings conviction, because the fruit we bear proves that we are his disciples (v8). But so much encouragement from Jesus follows directly. Jesus says that he loves us, and that we should abide in him. (v9) He has given a command, to abide in him, his life and death and resurrection and ascension and work, but what is the fact that he has stated. He loves us!
But also, he gives further encouragement a few verses later. Jesus no longer called his followers bondservants, or slaves, but his friends. Yes we are a slave to Christ to abide in him and live for his glory, Paul constantly reminds us of that, but we are also Christ's precious friend!
Why is God so gracious to us? Because we did not choose Him, but he chose us and appointed us that we should go and bear fruit and should abide in his love, so that whatever we ask the Father in Christ's name, He shall give (v16).
Why does God tell us to abide in Him, so that we will love ONE ANOTHER (v17) and bear fruit (v4).
Let us this day take this passage that quickly puts, as you said, a mirror to our hearts to show our weakness, and beg our Saviour to ALLOW us and MAKE us abide in his life, and love, so that more may know Him and grow in knowledge of his peace, love, mercy, compassion, everything Jesus! Because we cannot do so on our own. Praise God for being finite!
Love ya Renee, praying for you.
In Grace,
Brian
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