Abide

Colossians 1: 9

Dear Sons and daughters,

Backing up and bit and looking at Paul’s prayer for the Colossians, my prayers for you are certainly like Paul’s. He says that he did not cease to pray for them, that they might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. He is thinking about the first few verses where he thanked God for the hope that came to them. And that of course is the first thing that God must do, is to give us hope in our hearts. And that only happens when God changes our heart. We can’t do it ourselves, and that is why I pray that God might do it in you.
His theme in both passages involves the bearing of fruit. First, the fact that the hope that comes to us causes us to bear fruit, and secondly, that it is God’s will that we bear fruit. Now, you ask, how can we do that? We can’t!
Try as you may, muster up all the desire you can, you will never be able to bear fruit. But God can. Jesus said, “abide in Me, and I will abide in You. As the branch can not bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”
Abide – translated to remain 16 times; to dwell 15 times
3306 menw meno men’-o
a root word;
AV-abide 61, remain 16, dwell 15, continue 11, tarry 9, endure 3, misc 5; 120
1) to remain, abide
1a) in reference to place
1a1) to sojourn, tarry
1a2) not to depart
1a2a) to continue to be present
1a2b) to be held, kept, continually
1b) in reference to time
1b1) to continue to be, not to perish, to last, endure
1b1a) of persons, to survive, live
1c) in reference to state or condition
1c1) to remain as one, not to become another or different
2) to wait for, await one

In other words, the only way that anything positive spiritually is going to happen is if you spend time with Jesus. That means talking to Him in prayer. And reading His word. The short time it takes you to read this paper is a good start. Then, just spend a few moments talking to Him about this. As you do, pray that He will direct your path this day. That you will be sensitive to His leadership, see what He is doing, and follow Him by faith, knowing that He is perfect in all His ways, no matter what it looks like to You.

Let me try to simplify. My prayer for you, like Paul’s for the Colossians, is that you would be filled with the knowledge of what God desires for you. That you would see how God is involved in every aspect of your lives, and knowing Him and how He works will cause you to see His hand in everything so much more. And that you would come to understand how His works so beautifully flow together in one glorious purpose. He has a purpose for you. You are not an accident. There is a set out plan for your life that He is working out. Watch for Him! You will see it. And it is wonderful beyond comprehension.

All of my love,


Dad