ABIDING IN CHRIST
“Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
Abiding, or living life connected to God means experiencing His presence and following His guidance in everything we do. The benefit of seeking His will, following His teachings, leads to our experiencing His love and grace.
In his book, “Hearing God”, Peter Lord writes, “The road to effective communion with God is pitted and pebbled with obstacles and mined with dangerous deceptions that can cause you to stumble and fall. …This clutter (these hindrances) can keep you from hearing God—from distinguishing His voice and having the fellowship with Him that is your privilege as His child.” He continues to identify a number of what he refers to as traps, snares, and hindrances, from hurry and busyness to rebellion, or wandering thoughts, etc. that get in our way, inhibit our abiding.
We understand and even desire to be fully committed to God, but we struggle to consistently live it out. This can lead to our settling for a lukewarm or mediocre Christian life, where our faith becomes just one aspect of our identity rather than the foundation for everything we do.
As you consider your life, your desire for more intimacy with God, His promises, I’ll suggest that one way of practicing, remembering this might be to create your own mnemonic. A mnemonic can serve as a powerful tool to reinforce the importance of abiding in Christ. Creating a memorable acronym or phrase, could be helpful in anchoring your daily practice and discipline in the principle of abiding in Christ. For instance, crafting a mnemonic for "ABIDE":
A - Attention: Direct your attention to Christ daily, focusing on His teachings, character, and
presence.
Philippians 4:8 (NIV): "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
B - Belonging: Recognize your belonging in Christ's family, finding security and identity in
Him.
John 1:12 (NIV): "Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God."
I - Intimacy: Cultivate intimacy with Christ through prayer, meditation, and study of His Word,
deepening your relationship with Him.
Psalm 63:1 "You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water."
D - Dependence: Acknowledge your dependence on Christ for strength, wisdom, and
guidance in every aspect of life.
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
E - Endurance: Persevere in abiding in Christ, even amidst trials and challenges, trusting in
His sustaining grace and power.
James 1:12 "Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him."
Feel free to create and share your own mnemonic for Abide or practices you have found helpful in keeping you focused, attentive, faithful in abiding in Christ in your daily walk. Check out “Abide in Christ” (In today’s English) by Andrew Murray.
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