Abide in Christ

You sit across from your spouse, looking at and listening to them. Eyes are focused. Ears are engaged. Yet, in your mind, you are not engaged. Silently, perhaps you are planning your day, or fixing something at work, or watching the clock in anticipation of an appointment.

In other words, you are there physically, but mentally you are not present!

Your spouse quits talking, and you’re caught flatfooted and reply, “What did you say?”

Maybe you have experienced this, and it is easy to do. But Jesus is calling us to “be present” with Him in every turn of our day, every encounter, every decision, every email or text—to see each of these through Him, knowing that He is present and is working.

This abiding can feel like a discipline, yet it is relational and absolutely essential, because apart from Him we can do nothing. We can bear no fruit without abiding.

Like two friends walking together, we are asking Him, "What are you doing here?" "How should I respond?" "What should I move towards?" We have guidelines, of course, in Scripture, which helps so much. But so many decisions we make during the day seem neutral. Knowing Jesus is present and working and calling us to ask, seek, and knock draws us to Him in these everyday, through-the-day decisions and fellowship.

New Testament Christianity is so much more than lists of things to do or not do. It is a walking, indwelling relationship with Jesus Himself through His Spirit who lives in us forever and is there to Help. Let’s start today, abiding in Christ, all through the day!