Our 71st Word is Abide

The simple definition of abide is to dwell in a place long-term.

“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.” (John 15;4)

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Consider these findings:

• The average American moves to a new home 11.4 times over a lifetime.
• The average worker changes jobs about twelve times during his or her career.
• The average person stays on a webpage less than one minute before leaving.

Clearly, we are a restless people. Staying put is not our strong suit. Which may be why the Bible makes such a fuss over the word abide.

Ten times in John 15: 4-11, we find the verb abide on the lips of Jesus, and what a rich term it is. It conveys the idea of remaining in a place. Staying there. Dwelling there. Abide isn’t a motel stay; it’s a mortgage. You’re not an overnight guest. You unpack, kick off your shoes, and settle in for the long haul.

This is why people sometimes receive visitors into their homes with the statement, “Welcome to our humble abode.” An abode is where one abides or lives. Jesus communicated this idea in John 14:23 when He promised, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.”

Don’t forget…even as Jesus was hammering away at this idea of abiding, He knew Roman soldiers would be hammering Him to a cross in less than twenty-four hours! It was no time for small talk. He used the analogy of a vine and branches to illustrate that abiding means intimate connection and deep attachment.

Abide in me, and let me abide in you, Jesus said (15:4). If you do, you’ll experience a fruitful life that honors God and blesses others (15:5). Let my words abide you, He urged (15:7). When you do, you’ll see amazing answers to prayer. Abide in my love, He said. How? By keeping my commands (15:9-10)

Abide is not a word that, ahem, abides in the daily vocabularies of most of us. It feels a little archaic. But whether we use the word or not, the practice of abiding is life-changing.

If you’d like to know more about establishing and maintaining this kind of constant connection with the Lord, find a copy of the 300 year old classic by Brother Lawrence called The Practice of the Presence of God. This simple book by a humble friar explains the vanishing art of “abiding”.

Questions to Ponder

1. Do you use the word abide?
2. Spiritually speaking, is it your practice to abide in Christ?