Abide.
Abide: to remain stable or fixed in a state.
This word, although not often used in every day language, is a word with great power and responsibility. It is a word that as an exec team, was prayed about relentlessly. It is a word that was turned into a gracious commandment given to all followers of Christ.
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” - John 15:4
Jesus commands us to abide in him daily. Abiding in the Lord results is various different fruits, but it ultimately looks the same - utter dependence and reliance on the Lord resulting in continually living in His Presence. Not only are we dependent upon Him to be able to bear good fruits and do good deeds, but we are also dependent on Him to wake up in the morning, to be joyous in the midst of despair, to be at peace in the midst of a storm, and to have strength when our bones are too weak to move. The Lord promises us these things among countless other underserved blessings. However, in order to receive these gifts, we must be close to Him - living in constant relationship.
We prayed over this theme because we believe it is a constant theme in every Christian’s life. We also felt like it was a struggle for many college students. It can often be easier to stray away from the Lord and depend on our own strength and wisdom to get through life. Maybe we turn and depend on Him for the big stuff, but a lot of times we think we can carry the “little” things on our own. But God commands us to abide In Him. This means depending on Him every second of every day. This means never leaving His Presence. This means praying for His strength and wisdom rather than relying on our own.
As Christians we are called to love others well, but to do this, we must be connected to the Vine.
May our prayer be that we can stay abiding in the Lord and spur our community on to do the same. May the Vine contain abundant branches ready to produce good fruit as a result of the constant, sturdy source.