STAY WITH ME
«Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me» (John 15:14).
I want to tell you an interesting fact. The Greek word «abide» also means «stay.» When John the Baptist’s disciples asked Jesus: «Where are you staying?» (John 1:38), the Bible describes it using the same word: meno. When Jesus told us to abide, He was inviting us to move in with Him, to share the routine, the toothpaste, and the leftovers from yesterday’s dinner. Basically, «abide in me» means «stay with me.»
How do we do this? You are possibly already doing it and you just need to increase the power of your connection. A few weeks ago, my sister switched Internet providers. Now, when I call her, we can chat for hours without interrupting the video call and without hearing a constant sound of frying. My sister already had the Internet, but now the connection is better. Abiding in Jesus is similar. We have already been purified by His words (John 15:3); there is already an established connection. However, we can ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen the connection and make it permanent. We can ask Him to show us when we start moving away, when we forget to abide in Him.
One thing that helps me maintain the connection is to tell Jesus what I am doing throughout the day. Rather than praying «properly,» what I do is tell Him what I am thinking and doing (as if l had activated the video description for the blind). It’s amazing that something so simple can make such a big difference! Not only does it help me remember that I am always in God’s presence, but it also allows me to receive advice for my daily life. «The fridge is still losing water,» I told the Lord today. I had had that problem for weeks, and I was convinced it was thawing. Then a thought came to mind: The drain is clogged. I unplugged and managed to open the drain in less than five minutes. I never would have thought of checking that! However, when Jesus said, «Abide in Me,» he basically invited us to move in with Him, to share the toothpaste, the leftovers from dinner, and even the problems with the fridge.
Father, I want to stay with Jesus. I beg You to increase the connection that the Word has already established. May Your Spirit reveal to me practical ways in which I can share every aspect of my life with Him.
#WomensDevotional
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Take From: Devotional Thoughts for Women 2022
«NO FEARS»
BY: VANEZA PISSUTO
Collaborators: Alexandra Pérez & Angelica Cuate.