To abide in him
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. (v4)
I am made to be communing with God, having his words in my heart and praying continually to him, abiding in his love and in obedience.
I am so tempted to abide in other things. Something that Jeff said recently was that it's good to be bored sometimes. It's true- with high speed internet connected to the computer 24/7, it's so easy for me to fill every minute of my mind with something. Sometimes, by God's grace, the internet is "slow" loading the page I'm surfing onto and in those 10 seconds I realize that I don't really care that much about what I'm about to read. It's been a blessing just to unplug, and be still so that my soul has a chance to turn toward what I really desire.
I am tempted to try to bear fruit apart from him...which is not the way I want to go, especially since Jesus says that apart from him I can't bear fruit or do anything! Still, I try to obey, have the right attitude, pray, read the Bible, do the right thing, with my own strength. Then I end up tired, angry, and bitter. How freeing to know that God has already flat out said "you can't do it on your own!" and not only that, but that he is the God who helps. He is the one that grants me a desire for him and to seek him and I'm so thankful that in his grace, he has been rekindling in me that desire.
I want to abide in his word. There are times when, honestly, I'm scared to pray for him to speak to me. It's not so much because I'm afraid of what he will ask of me, as much as it is that I am afraid of being drawn into living under guilt, accusations from the enemy, slight misinterpretations of what he wants because of not understanding the way God speaks. Praise the Lord though, for his perfect word! I don't need to wait for random feelings of conviction or fear false accusations because his word is that perfect mirror that I go to. I don't have to fear having wild, idle thoughts about who God is that come from my own mind because his word has revealed who he is and how I am to relate to him!
I want to speak to him. Prayer helps me remember that all that I'm reading and learning is not just true, but that I am drawing closer to God. I have a tendency to really get passionate about things that are true, speaking against what is false or wrong, but more than that I want to know him who is Truth.
... & bear fruit
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. (v5)
Jesus makes it clear that those who abide will bear fruit. His disciples will bear fruit. I'm thankful because when I read this, I don't feel a crushing burden of needing to work for my own righteousness. I have felt that so often, wanting to just push off all standards and demands for outward signs of discipleship because I've been tired of hearing things that I should do while feeling like I have no power to do them. I've been tired from what one of my profs at WTS put as, hearing (and also speaking) the words of the law without receiving (or offering) the water of the Gospel of grace. At the same time, it would be unfaithful to Scripture to say that producing fruit in my life doesn't matter.
It's so freeing and beautiful the way that Jesus puts it, the order of fruit bearing and abiding. I don't bear fruit so that he will keep me with him. Rather, because of his finished work and his sovereign grace, I can abide in him! He is my source of life, righteousness, hope, joy, and love, and in this relationship, I will bear fruit.
... to his glory.
By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. (v8)
Ever since my Doctrine of the Church prof challenged the way and reason we pray- do we ask because it will bring God glory?, I've been asking God to help me to lift up my eyes to him and grant me the desire for him to glorify himself in the things I pray for and to grant me a heart for his glory.
I was thankful, thus, today for John Piper's sermon Our Deepest Prayer- Hallowed Be Your Name. So many parts were powerful, but my soul was awakened by the truth that God is in the simple and the spectacular: He is in HEAVEN and he is our Father. We pray that his kingdom COME! and for daily bread. As a campus staff worker in LA, I often lost sight of the latter, earth-bound parts of life that God works in. I had a dualistic mindset on what was for effective for the kingdom vs. what was in the world. As a wife now and since learning what it means to be faithful in daily things, my tendency is to get caught up in only the earth-bound things and forget the glorious call to God. I want all, including everyday things, to be taken up in the prayer for him to glorify himself in my life, family, and world.
God, help me live with and for you each day this year- by your grace, resources, and for your glory.
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