Abiding?

From: Ben Kelley
Subject: Abiding?

(I hope this makes sense to you, so I pray The Holy Spirit will convey it into your heart and mind) I do not pretend to be an expert (or even a novice) in the Greek language as used in New Testament times, but any of us can read and study concordances and word studies published by those who do fit in that category. Simply reading a single word for word Bible translation will sometimes cause us to miss certain nuances first century readers would have picked up on. One example of this is seen in the translation of the word "love." Many of you are aware of the fact there were four different words in Greek, with widely variant meanings, that most translations give simply as "love." Students can really lose out on the meaning of Bible passages containing this type of words. In the same way, I believe the verse I want to mention to you here is better comprehended by looking more closely at the original meanings of its words.

(Jesus said) Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; so neither can ye, except ye abide in me. (John 15:4 ASV)

Jesus tells us to stay firmly rooted, resting, in Him. How can one rest in a place where they are uncomfortable? I am extremely hot-natured, having experienced a true heat stroke (very different from what most people call heat strokes) back in 1969. Since that time, I am usually hot and perspiring, unless it's very cool, or I have a lot of air moving quickly around me. Back when I was a young Police Officer, I would take my lunch break sitting in a store's cooler during warm weather. 35 degrees Fahrenheit, with the blowers going, felt great to me in my short sleeves. I'm also known in my neighborhood as being the guy outside in shorts, when the rare snowfall occurs. I am miserable when I am in a place where the heater is going strong and I can't get some kind of cooling. I sleep with a fan on me and no sheet or blanket. Get the picture? Don't expect me to be able to rest comfortably in bed if you have the heat going and a blanket on top of me; I can't! I will not be able to rest comfortably and stay in that condition. I will have to get up and change, either the condition, or, my location. In a similar way, how can we stay close to Jesus, resting and rooted in Him, if we are holding on to sin? The answer is, we can't. We will either have to try to change location, or, change our sinful condition. His convicting Presence will prevent us from resting and, therefor, keep us unable to fill the conditions of this abiding. It doesn't even have to be what we would call an active sin; it can be such a thing as fear, or doubt that HE loves us completely. We can't really rest when sin is present. We can only rest in Him when we are sure HE has us in His all-powerful hands and loves us totally. We also can not stay comfortable around Jesus when we are doing, saying, or thinking things we know HE doesn't want us doing. We will begin to avoid or ignore Him, trying to change location, because His convicting Presence will keep us uncomfortable, until we repent and seek His Presence.

Our passage also tells us that if we are able to stay firmly rooted and resting in Him, HE will do the same in us. I've thought many times that Jesus can't really be comfortable in us when we are filled with things that don't fit Him. How can our Heavenly Savior feel comfortable living in a place filled with ungodly things? The music we listen to, the things we read, or watch on TV, the words we say, the thoughts we think, all of these things are parts of "the living conditions" we expect Jesus to inhabit. Does the "furniture, paint, and decorations" within us make Jesus comfortable, or uncomfortable? Let me ask it this way; if two people in a relationship are sitting and watching TV, and one is controlling the remote, what if that one continually puts on shows that they know the other dislikes intently? Would the other feel as if they were really wanted there? or would they feel the one with the remote was either trying to get them to leave, or was totally oblivious to, or uncaring about the other's likes and desires? I believe that would be the case. They definitely would not feel the remote "controller" was thinking of them and desirous of making them comfortable and happy. What kind of living conditions are we offering our Lord and Savior? What's on the TV, what kind of music, or conversation, is HE hearing? Is the Bible, His Word, just gathering dust? How hard do we work to make Him "feel at home?" Is HE able to "abide in", stay firmly rooted, in a relation of rest?

Are we abiding in Him, and HE in us? Really? Do we need to clean house, or redecorate? Most of us want to make a home where our loved ones and close friends are comfortable. Do either of those descriptions fit Jesus? Is HE a loved one or close friend? Let us make a conscious decision to make Him feel at home in us, and we will feel at home with Him, abiding.