to abide

Abide: "to remain, wait, delay, remain behind,"

One of the themes of the book of First John is to "abide in Christ, that He might abide in you".  In fact, the word abide or abides is used 20 times in the five chapters of this short epistle.  It helped me to look up the root meaning of abide in the etymological dictionary.  It means to remain or wait.   It's interesting to consider what the Lord wants us to remain or wait in and for.  And it is interesting to consider how we can remain and how we can wait.  Abide is another of those words, like faith and grace, that we don't use a lot in casual conversation but that are very important in our relationship with God.  We'll abide a few days in the word abide to consider where we should abide...and how.  In First John, we are exhorted to abide in the Lord, in the Light, in the Word and in Love.  If we abide in these areas, some wonderful qualities will also "abide" in us.  John says, "God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him." (from chapter 4, verse 16).  There is another great promise that the world is passing away (won't abide forever) but that we will abide forever if we have obeyed and put our trust in the Lord.  The only negative use of abide in the book comes in verse 14.  John is comparing and contrasting those who love with those who hate others.  He says that those who do not love others may be reflecting the lack of a complete relationship with the Lord...they may still "abide in death".   As we launch into a new year, it may serve us well to consider where we are abiding...and where we should be avoiding.

 

blessings,

Rob Smith