The Art of Abiding
Proximity.
Does that make us close?
No, there is more.
There is,
ㅤthere must be,
Presence.
Without presence, proximity is being alone in a crowd.
Presence is being with.
Journeying together.
Walking, not in front, not behind, but…
Next to.
Not a task, but an experience.
Relational, not tactical.
Allowing yourself to know another.
And, more uncomfortably,
ㅤallowing yourself to be known.
We often look to God for a template for life.
Steps to follow.
But he wants us to journey with him.
To take steps with him.
To focus first on connecting — with him.
Not on self-denial.
Not on commandments.
But on him.
Him…
Resting in him.
Relationship with him.
Abiding in him.
Through this…
ㅤHe makes things right with us.
ㅤHe gives us righteousness.
In this…
ㅤwe discover our status as sons.
And a sense of acceptance.
Of significance.
Of destiny.
This right relationship leads to our growth.
Maturing in justice and righteousness.
Displaying increasing social, relational, and economic equity.
We bear fruit!
But we don’t set out to bear fruit.
We set out to abide.
Fruit is the consequence, the result.
Abide is the focus.
Being wholly oriented toward presence with Jesus.
Resting, living, dwelling in him.
Positioning ourselves in him, resisting temptation to move.
Abiding…
ㅤPersistently.
ㅤConsistently.
When we give this attention to him…
ㅤIntentional
ㅤSustained
ㅤCloseness.
He becomes our delight.
When we glory in him,
ㅤwe learn to see him more clearly.
We begin to see him in his glory.
He becomes more glorious to us.
We move from…
ㅤa life that is devoid of depth and meaning,
Toward…
ㅤa life that bears fruit.
The fruit of withness.
Of oneness with the Father.
We experience his Spirit at work in us.
While focused on positioning ourselves close to him,
ㅤwe realize we are following him.
Following his law.
It starts with his love, and the surprising result is our obedience.
Abiding is our pursuit.
Obedience is the fruit.
Lord, today I focus on presence with you.
Not just proximity — true, risky, presence.
And tomorrow I will watch for the fruit you produce in me.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ.ㅤ.ㅤ.
