ABIDE IN HIS LOVE

John 15:9 "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love...

As I read this simple, yet profound scripture this morning, my mind began to really dwell on how much is really packed sometimes into just a few simple words. I have such a tendency at times to just skim through the scriptures that I have become so familiar with over the years without letting my mind REALLY meditate on all it really has to say, that I often times miss the MANY blessings that are really there for me. So as I was pondering this scripture, I began to ask myself a few questions. What does it REALLY mean to "abide" in the Lord's love? I looked up the word in the dictionary, and here is what it said;

to wait for, to endure without yielding, withstand, to bear patiently, to accept without objection, to remain stable or fixed, to continue in a place..

So, as I began to let my head and heart get around what it really means to abide, I found that it gives me a very clear picture of the kind of love that first God the Father had for His Son Jesus, and then the kind of love that Jesus has for us, and finally the kind of love that we are to abide in. The Father's love for Jesus was of course perfect. And Jesus loves us with that same perfect, love. It endures no matter what. It accepts us without objection. That alone is enough sometimes to make me really wonder at the magnitude of His love. It really doesn't matter how much I've sinned, or what I may have done in my past, or what I might do in my future, He loves and accepts me period. He loves withstands and bears with me patiently as I wonder at times, and His love endures without yielding no matter I might say, do, or think. His love remains stable, fixed and continues always.

Jer 31:3 The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love...

When my youngest son James was born his personality was sweet, outgoing, and extroverted. His zest for life and his enthusiasm for fun and laughter were downright contagious. He was almost 4 years younger than his older two brothers and 6 full years older than his little sister. So for a few years he was my constant little companion and buddy and I enjoyed him more than I could explain. Loving him was so easy. As he grew into a VERY active and busy young boy I began to dream about all that the Lord could do with the man I knew he could grow into being. But during his oldest teenaged years he decided to make things difficult on us all. He began to rebel and question everything we had labored to teach him. He began to experiment with a life style that would lead him down a road that no mother ever wants to see her child on. My heart was soo heavy for him as I began to fear where his choices might lead him. I can honestly tell you that no matter what was going on, my love for him NEVER wavered or faltered, but he was no longer in a place where I could bless him as I wanted to. I couldn't "help" him with money or assist him in any way that would have required trust on my part.   I also knew of course that there was no way for him to experience true joy in his life that can only come from a real relationship with the Lord, and that his life would definitely bring about only hardships and trouble eventually. This particular story has a happy ending in that at age 19 James not only gave His life completely to the Lord, but decided to go to Bible College. This decision helped his dad and I to again begin blessing him with all that we could to make his life easier and productive. We provided him with a car (old, but reliable) to get back and forth to school and work, and money to attend the college. He eventually went on to become the High School Pastor for Maranatha Chapel in San Diego, serving the Lord full time and living his life for Him.

Jude 1:21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

As Christians, we all at times of course make choices and decisions where we are no longer "abiding" in that perfect love of God, and move ourselves outside of that place where the Lord can bless us as He wants to. How foolish we can be. How wonderful is it that this PERFECT love is where I am to abide? A place where the Lord can bless me every day with all He has for me. I can't think of a better place to be.

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