We're taking a few days to think about the word "abide", which is frequently used in the book of First John to point out where we should "remain or stay". Those places include: God's Word, His light, His love, and in the Lord, Himself. Obviously the Lord doesn't expect us to remain in the sense of standing still. Perhaps "remain" in this case means something like "focus"...especially our thoughts. Great promises come with this kind of abiding: Abiding in the right way helps keep us from stumbling continually in sin. (from 1 John 2:14 )"the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one". If we abide in Him we will have confidence when we see Jesus. (from chapter 2, verse 28) "And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming." Perhaps most importantly, we know that when we abide in God...He abides in us: "And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him." (1 John 4:16). My grandson gave me an illustration of abiding that I thought I'd pass on. He explained that he'd enjoyed playing a video game called "Mario" with his cousins over Christmas. When I asked what the secret was to doing well, he said that you have to remain in something he called a "bubble". As long as your character remained within a protective bubble, as you moved from challenge to challenge, no harm could come to you. If you got too ambitious and moved ahead of the bubble, or if you lingered too long and the bubble moved without you....you were vulnerable to attacks and to falling. We have more than a protective bubble...we have the living God. But as we abide in Him and move from challenge to challenge with Him, we are able to advance and not stumble.
blessings,
Rob Smith
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