Abiding in Him
by Joan Rono
‘Abiding’ means having a deep relationship. It’s more than a casual waiting. It’s to dwell with, or continue to stay with somebody. In today’s passage, Jesus is inviting us to an intimate fellowship with Him. He wants us to abide in Him, and at the same time, He wants to abide in us.
God longs to have this fellowship with us. But sometimes, we feel ashamed or unworthy, so we hide from Him. Or we may feel as though we have no time in our busy schedule to spend time just basking in God’s presence. But I believe God wants us to put off all these ‘hindrances’ and ‘excuses’ so we can just commune with Him.
Above all other things in our lives, including service to the Lord, we need to be living in God’s presence, so we can hear God speak to us, and inspiration can flow. We need to come into God’s presence, and then daily walk in it. When we do this we can have an ‘out flowing’ of God’s presence in our lives.
I believe, as we spend time in God’s presence, that His character comes through into our attitudes; the way we think about things, how we respond to people, and the way we handle situations. In this way we’re being transformed, and as a result we’re able to take His presence with us wherever we go.
I feel as though the Lord has been speaking to me lately about ‘abiding in His Presence’ and drawing my attention to this verse in the Bible: ‘He who dwells in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the almighty’ (Psalms 91:1). I need to put this into practice daily, as I tend to allow other things to ‘prioritise’ my time. In the Psalms King David also speaks of a joy that only the righteous can know, a joy that is a foretaste of a far greater and everlasting joy, when we see the Lord’s face in the Glory to come.
So why don’t you choose with me today, and every day, to abide in God’s presence, despite how we feel. We will all be better off for it!
Prayer: Lord, Help me abide in Your presence, each moment of every day, to clearly hear Your still, small voice, and be inspired by what You say. Amen.
Joan Rono has been involved with Ellel ministries since 2008,working at Ellel grange for 5 years before moving to Ellel Blairmore in 2013 to work as hospitality coordinator. Having walked the Healing Journey, Joan has a passion to see others healed and transformed. She also has a passion to see young people walk in purity and holiness. She enjoys walking and reading in her spare time.
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