Abiding

As He spoke these words, many believed in Him. 31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
John 8:30-32 (NKJV)

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I've been thinking about what abiding looks like...

Surrender... When we come to the end of ourselves. Surrender is the place where we recognize more than our need of a Savior and our utter depravity. Surrender is the place where what I can do, what I have, what I want, and what I know is not enough to sustain me any longer. Surrender is almost never easy. In our fallen nature, surrender looks like "giving up." In our redeemed calling Surrender is the first step to abiding.

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Confession... When we sit at His feet and allow Him to see us as we really are. I believe Jesus already knows fully what we look like, the condition of our heart and what we need to tell Him, but 1 John 1:9 tells us that God desires for us to come to a place of Confession. Not the type of Confession that happens in a dark closet with a veil between you and an anonymous priest, but the kind of Confession that is getting REAL with God. Pouring out all the dark and ugly places of your heart and life to God so He can replace them with a fresh, new heart of flesh upon which to write His Word and His Love. Confession opens the door for a the Bread of Life and Living Water to refresh a hungering and thirsting soul.

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Santification...Allowing God to purify our hearts, our minds and our will. That we may "be holy as He is holy." To live victoriously, in the abundance and grace of God's love we must be Sanctified. Sanctification is not the equivalent of Salvation. It is the renewing of our minds and the transformation of our existence. Sanctification is about our heart - and the process is not easy but it is the only way to see the victory of our Salvation this side of the veil. Sanctification only requires us to submit or consecrate ourselves to God ourselves by the washing of the Word and the edification of the Holy Spirit. Sanctification is the process by which God makes us "Ceremonially Clean" in a Spiritual sense. Sanctification never happens apart from submission and obedience.

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Communion... the time we spend in relationship with Him. Abiding is more about being focused on God daily. By embracing Him as our Protector, Provider and King it is no longer about checking an item off of our list of things to do... It is about abiding. It involves worship as a lifestyle, relationship through His Word, His People and the Experience we have in His Love. The Rich, Deep and Personal ways that God relates to us. It happens in that place of abiding where we live in concert with our Shepherd. We were not meant to live out on the fringe but instead up close to His side. Communion is more than an ordinance of our faith - Communion is the fabric of our relationship with Christ. Communion goes beyond the partaking of Bread and Cup - it is the condition of our hearts in relationship with God. Communion occurs at the point in which our identification with God through His Son Jesus Christ becomes the identity we live out in our daily lives.

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Embracing... Allowing ourselves to be wrapped up in His Love. Allowing Him to just be present in our lives with no expectations - the place in our life where everything He provides is enough. Abiding is when we rest in Him and find fullness in our relationship with Him. Embracing is when satisfaction comes as we fall into His loving Embrace and require nothing more than His love.

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Serving Others... Abiding brings a heart that serves. A heart that is content both resting at His feet and serving out of His love. A heart Serving to meet their needs. A heart Serving to tend their wounds. A heart Serving to show He cares. A heart Serving as our Savior serves us through others. Servant Leadership is the mark of one who abides. Serving Others is the place where our relationship with Christ overflows into the lives of others.

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Abiding is the mark of His disciples. And that is when it happens... Somewhere in the elegance of abiding, we discover the absolute truth of God that ultimately sets us completely FREE.