By: Guest Columnist, Spencer Sullivan, Pastor, Pelahatchie Baptist
Before Melanie and I were married, we read a book entitled The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman. Many of you have probably read it as well. But for those that haven’t, Chapman writes and explains how every individual feels most loved through one of what he calls the five love languages. The five love languages are: Words of Affirmation, Physical Touch, Receiving Gifts, Quality Time, and Acts of Service. Even if you are unfamiliar with this idea, I bet you can still examine that list of five love languages and determine pretty quickly which one describes how you feel most loved and which one describes how your closest loved ones feel most loved. The ability to communicate love in the way that is felt and received most by the one that you love is critical to growing and maintaining a strong connection and deep relationship. Regardless of which love language speaks to each one of us the most, in marriage, and really any relationship, staying closely connected is essential. Without a close connection, relationships weaken. Therefore, we must fight for it and do what is necessary to keep the connection strong.
The same applies in our relationship with God. In the Gospel of John, Jesus makes 7 unique “I Am” statements that accentuate His own deity, but also communicate specific aspects of Who He was as the Son of God. One of those “I Am statements is found in John 15, where He proclaims: “I am the True Vine”. Here, Jesus spoke to the importance of staying connected with Him. He said: “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. 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.” How critical is it to stay connected to Jesus as the True Vine? He states that it is impossible for anyone to bear fruit of worth and value to God apart from a connection to Him. In these 2 verses, to communicate this principle of staying connected to the vine, Jesus uses the word ‘abide’ 4 times. To abide means to remain or to stay. When our relationship with God seems to weaken or grow stale, it isn’t because He moved away from us, it is because we have drifted away from Him. Jesus calls us to abide, to remain, to stay with Him. When we abide with Jesus, then and only then, are we able to bear fruit that looks and tastes like Him.
Just this past week, I became familiar with a song entitled “Abide” that speaks to how utterly dependent we are upon Jesus. Yes, we are fully dependent upon Him for our salvation in that He is the only way for us to be brought into a right relationship with God the Father through His shed blood to cover and pay for our sin. That is the Good News of the Gospel. But, whether we think about it or even want to acknowledge it, we are also dependent upon Him for every other aspect of our lives. Apart from Him, we can do nothing. Some of the lyrics of the song go like this: “For my waking breath, for my daily bread, I depend on You, I depend on You. For the sun to rise, for my sleep at night, I depend on You, I depend on You. You’re the way, the truth, and the life. You’re the well that never runs dry. I’m the branch and You are the vine. Draw me close and teach me to abide.” My challenge for all of us is to abide (stay, remain) with Jesus. Stay connected to the True Vine and remain. Apart from Him, we can do nothing; with Him, we experience His great power working in and through and all around us.
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