Abiding Time

Jesus said, “Abide in Me, and I in you (John 15:4, NASB).”

As a thirteen year old, I went deer hunting in Calhoun County, Mississippi on the property of Mr. Bunyan Denton. This was one of the first times I had ever been hunting. Consequently, there was a measure of excitement about getting into the woods. However, (“Baby”), it was cold outside.”

When I arrived with my dad and brother, Mr. Bunyan carried us into the woods and assigned us our tree stands. We were told not to leave until someone came to us. I took my place--gun in cold hands--and waited… and waited… and waited. Nothing moved. I believe everything was frozen solid, even the deer.

While a substantial amount of time seemed to elapse, my craving for warmth overwhelmed me. So, I made an ill-advised decision. I headed for the truck ahead of schedule.

As I tromped through the woods, wandering in the general direction of the vehicle, a voice came from heaven. Well, actually, a voice boomed from Mr. Bunyan Denton. You see, I had walked only a few yards from his hunting stand. He was not happy and he used some colorful words to express his displeasure.

Since I had left the safety of the tree stand, I had wandered into his hunting territory. When Mr. Denton heard something moving toward him, he had raised his gun and prepared to shoot. Fortunately, I was sporting a hunter’s orange cap. My decision not to remain where I was placed exposed me to danger and raised Mr. Denton's blood pressure.

The Greek word for “Abide” is menō, which, in the basic sense means “to remain, stay, abide.”

In other words, Jesus said, “Remain in me and I will remain in you.” The abiding presence of the Lord is a place of peace and a place of fruitfulness. Jesus continued, “Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me.(John 15:4, HSCB).

Strangely, a branch removed from a grape vine can continue to bear foliage for a time, but it will never produce fruit without a root system. Our lives may be colorful at times, but, without Christ, they will never be of any benefit to others or the Kingdom of God. However, when we abide, stay, remain, dwell in Him, our lives make a difference for Him.