Just Stay

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. _{John 15:6}

This verse follows on in the ‘I Am the True Vine’ message (verses 1-17) spoken by the Lord Jesus. In the ESV version, the word abide is used 11 times. When something is repeated, we know it’s important, so when the Lord says something 11 times in 17 verses, we definitely need to sit up and take notice. The word abide (μένω – meno) means to stay/remain/continue/dwell. Everything we need comes from the Lord. He is pure love. If we remain in Him then His love will continually flow down through us, filling us, saturating us.

From that, the fruit of the Spirit will become evident in our lives. A plant or tree that is rooted in perfect soil, getting the sun and the rain, cannot help but produce flowers or berries or food. That’s us, rooted in the word of God, in the love of the Lord Jesus and the sustenance of the Holy Spirit.

Verse 10 of chapter 15 says,

“If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in His love.”

The Lord always leads by example. As He obeyed His Father, we also should obey Him, and in doing so we too can lead by example to those around us.

Pray that the Lord will help you to – Abide… Stay… Remain… Continue… Dwell… in His love.