I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.—John 15:5 (ESV)

Rather than making New Year’s resolutions, I select a word to focus on. This past year, I selected the word “abide.” We’ve moved frequently and recently settled into a new home. Because abide means to reside, dwell, or remain, it seemed an appropriate choice. To learn to abide in Jesus, I sought methods to engage Scripture more, such as journaling about sections that jumped out to me, praying Jesus’s Word, and learning more about the context and culture of Biblical times. I even pondered significant works of art in light of the Biblical events or truths they portrayed to see if they offered spiritual parallels to my life. All these methods were valuable, but one insight I gained about abiding with Jesus was my need to learn to dwell in the moment. 

I heard someone say we spend eighty percent of our mental energy thinking about the past or future and only twenty percent in the present. I battle wandering thoughts that transport me to different times rather than focusing on where I am. Like being in a home, I can’t abide in the present if I’m not, well, in the present. This beautiful allegory of a vine and branches is an intimate union between Jesus and us, His followers. Jesus as the vine is the sustenance for everything. As a branch, I’m dependent on Him for everything, every moment of every day of my life. 

Faith Step: Read John 15 and write about what abiding in Jesus means to you. Then list three steps you can take to abide with Him.