Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. John 15:4 NASB
Abiding is the work of anyone who follows Christ. We work so hard at doing well to please others: parents, spouses, children, friends, other Christians. We think that God wants us to do something to please God. We have tried to keep the ten commandments, the golden rule. We try to use the talents that God has given us. We think that maybe if I just am real good God will treat me good and I will be ok with God’s plans for my life.
But, what God really wants from us is our attention, our living with God by asking for the Holy Spirit to take control of our lives. Holy Spirit please guide me, I’m yours. Holy Spirit please fill me, I will be and do what you want with your help. Holy Spirit I know that you are all that I need. Holy Spirit fully live in me so that I can live in you. Holy Spirit, Spirit of Jesus, I just want to abide in you. I want to be yours completely, to live in the moment, every moment with you. I want to be with you more than to just do for you. I, really, want what you want for me. I want your plans to come to pass in my life, not my plans. You have a purpose for me, I want to fulfill it by your power. I want to love you with my whole heart, soul and mind, by the power of the love which I get by abiding in you. I want to love others the same way you do by that same power. I want to serve you only, be empowered by you only, be fed and nurtured by you only. I want you alone; you are all that I need.
That’s what I want. How about you?