Christmas is upon us! As this marvelous holiday rolls around, much stress creep into busy households participating in all of the various Christmas activities. Sometimes, the many festivites can distract us from the true reason for the season: Jesus’ birth. With these considerations, to avoid all unessesary hastle and exasperation, it’s vital we intentionally keep pursuing our relationship with Jesus; we must abide in the vine of God this holiday season.
Abiding with God in Our Hearts:
In John 15:4 (ESV), Jesus proclaims, “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.” To abide means “to remain; continue; stay” (Dictionary.com). When our hearts “abide” with Christ, we “remain” in His love, “continue” honoring Him with our lives, and “stay” focused on Him no matter the circumstances.
Likewise, we don’t box God into certain areas of our life, pretending He’s just at church and not at school, for example. Instead, we acknowledge Him at every corner and do our best to walk according to His Truth and mercy. “In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths,” declares Proverbs 3:6 (ESV). Just, yet merciful, God promises to help us walk a straight path if we acknowledge Him in all our ways.
How can we practically abide with God?
Apart of abiding with God is purposefully investing in our relationship with Him. Cultivating this relationship happens through prayer. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 instructs, “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” God desires for us to be commited to Him in prayer and thanksgiving.
Similar to conversing with a friend, prayer is two-sided. When we speak to God, He will answer us at His time (probably in ways we don’t even expect.) Once we hear our heavenly Father’s voice, we must obey Him like we do our earthly fathers. In Exodus 19:5 (ESV), God reports, “ Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine.” By listening to God’s commands, we please Him greatly.
The Importance of Reading Your Bible:
Unto our souls, the Bible is the key to abiding with Christ. Jesus says in John 8:31 (ESV), “…’If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples.'” According to John 1:1, Jesus is the word, and His story is written in the Bible so that all people could read it.
Consistenly studying the Bible helps us to know God better. The closer our hearts grow to Jesus, the more our lives reflect Him. As the second part of John 15:4 explains, “…the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” John 2:6 also proclaims,“Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” Abiding in Christ, we see, means living and walking in communion with Him. Since we celebrate Jesus’ birth at Christmas, we are reminded of this Truth because the King of Kings came to live among us.
Happy Birthday, Jesus!
Christmas isn’t just a holiday; it’s Jesus’ birthday! Remember to abide in Him this Christmas, to continue investing in your relationship with Him, and to love others the way that He loves you. Stay focused on Jesus, your Creator, sustainer, and Savior!
