“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 (ESV)
Abide is not a word we use much today. But it’s a great word. Sometimes archaic words like this are able to communicate so much more than their modern synonyms. Maybe this is why “the Dude abides” were chosen as the main character’s final words in the Big Lebowski. It even inspired a book, The Dude Abides: The Gospel According to the Coen Brothers. Though I've not seen the movie or read this book (and cannot commend either) I can absolutely commend the concept of abiding. So, what does it mean to abide? For such an archaic word, I must turn to my archaic dictionary, Funk & Wagnalls: “To continue in a place; have one’s abode; remain; dwell. To remain or continue in some condition or state. To wait for; look for…to wait expectantly.” I must say, I think F&W does a profound job of capturing the concept underlying the Greek word meno, which is defined as, “to remain in the same place over a period of time” (Louw Nida). Couldn’t our world use a little more abiding? There is such a sense of restlessness, such a sense of needing the next great thing, looking for something better, that always elusive greener grass. Speaking of grass…the dude abides probably reflects more of a drug-induced abiding. But what we are talking about here is not something that depends on drugs, whether it’s actual narcotics, or the many different things we use to self-medicate or find temporary feelings of fulfillment…shopping, accumulating wealth, eating, gaming, entertaining ourselves. I think Kurt Cobain hit on something when he sang, “Here we are now, entertain us.” We are a restless culture, always seeking to be entertained. But therein lies the problem…restlessness. We lack rest. Even the things we look to for a superficial sense of peace and rest actually only feed our restlessness. For the person who gets a high off of shopping, it’s never “one-and-done.” They must keep going back over and over again to try and fill that emptiness…a void that never really gets filled. I must ask myself, what is my “shopping”? What are the “things” I look to for rest? But the kind of abiding that Jesus offers is different. It really is. It’s a kind of abiding that actually fills us, that stays with you, that permeates you, that guides you, that refreshes you, that changes you. What does such abiding look like? Well, certainly, it looks like “to remain in the same place over a period of time.” Of course, in John 15, that “place” is not geographical, it’s spiritual. It’s not really about a place, it’s about a person. It’s about being with Jesus, remaining with Him, abiding in His presence. I hate to be Captain Obvious here, but if we are going to abide with Christ in the manner described in John 15 (you should read this rich chapter again) then it will certainly require time, daily time, a significant quantity of time. This may be the biggest reason why we don’t abide. We are unwilling to give up the time. Yet, this seems to be the one non-negotiable when it comes to the word abide. It requires time…time in His Word, time in prayer, time every day. Just as an Olympian requires time, time and more time in physical training to prepare for competition, so too we need time, time and more time in abiding with Christ to prepare us for daily life. It’s like that old poem, “The Difference”, which says that it’s when we feel like we don’t have time to pray that we need it most! (See below.) What was the most valuable thing Jesus gave the disciples? Was it witnessing magnificent miracles? Was it watching Jesus exalt the humble and humble the self-exalted? Was it increasing in knowledge and intelligence? The greatest gift Jesus gave the disciples was His time…walking with them, talking with them, abiding with them. Nothing has changed in 2,000 years. This is still what we need more than anything else…to be with Jesus. Like Mary, we need to sit at His feet just wasting time. (What a wonderful way to waste time!) Believers, Jesus calls us to follow Him. But it’s hard to follow someone you can’t see, touch, hear. How do you follow such a one as this? To follow someone is to stick close to them, keep your eyes on them, listen for their voice. There is no other way to follow Jesus, in this manner, than by abiding. So, the question is, how are you doing? Do you need more abiding in your life? We are in the process of coming through some of the most turbulent times in recent decades. Where have you been turning for comfort, solace? Have you been able to find a reasonable level of peace in these rough waters? Could you use more peace in your life? Maybe what we all need is to choose to strengthen our practice of the discipline of abiding! Will you abide today? Will you respond to His beautiful invitation... “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
1 Comment
|
Dan GannonDan has ministered at Renton Bible Church, with his wife Debbie, since 2003. Archives
June 2022
Categories |