Beginning: The Vine
John 15:5 ESV says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” This is the central verse driving the mission of Abiding Daily.
Where do you find yourself in this verse? More specifically, can you identify the fruit of the Spirit in your life? Are you connected to the vine?
Abiding means a lot of things to a lot of people. To put it simply, abiding is just being closely connected to God. Because God is not a stagnant being but rather full of life and love and complexity, the life of abiding is dynamic and exciting. But it requires surrender.
If abiding is being close to God, then any disconnection from God will cause a tear in our freedom and fruitfulness. Jesus said it plainly, “for apart from me you can do nothing.” The only reason we would break our connection to the vine is if we believe that there is something we can do or experience better apart from God. It is like saying that we do not need him and declaring with our actions that there good things that he is either hiding from us or unable to offer us. We stand in opposition to Psalms 34:10 NLT, which says, “Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.”
Would you be comfortable saying that you believe you lack something good because you are connected to God? Yet this is one of the chief lies the enemy speaks over God’s people.
Of course, we cannot break from something we have not connected to. I often find that believers have never been instructed to abide in the vine. Maybe in visiting this passage, they would agree with the idea, but it is clear that many Christians are unaware of the power that comes from knowing God and being known by God deeply. That is the main reason Abiding Daily exists. To fulfill our mission to equip believers to live in freedom, we have to lead people to the vine.
That is why reading this devotional every morning has no power to save you. That is why I am calling us to go all-in with our pursuit of Christ, this devotional being a starting ground. Only in pressing beyond these words, into the scriptures, prayer, and a life of obedience will we unlock what it means to live in freedom. Some of you are already doing this and seeing fruit in your lives. I am so excited to see that fruit.
Finally, let us consider the power of Christ as the vine. When we live connected to him, we surrender all other sources of life and strength. We become dependent on God. The vine has all the wisdom, strength, life, healing, and freedom that we need. The vine is the source of love, speaking the truth of our acceptance to our hearts. The vine is also the power of God. Christ takes his resurrection power and releases it to his people. First to become holy as he is holy, and secondly, to demonstrate the Kingdom of God to the world around us.
Are you hungry for life in the vine?
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Abiding happens daily in his presence. Abiding Daily is a simple and practical reminder to stay connected to the vine. Each prompt is inspired by the scriptures and designed to point you toward prayer and encounter. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To get the Daily Invitation sent to you every day click this link or text “Daily” to +1 (779) 237-3914.
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Our first devotional book is available on our online store! Abiding Daily: Volume One is a devotional book including 120 prompts from the Daily Invitation. This book is designed to help believers connect with God through the word and discover more of what it means to abide in Christ. Click here to learn more.
