How to Abide

My church has been going through the book of First John for the past few months.  Over the past few weeks we have been talking about what it means to 'abide' in Christ.  As I thought about how this practically looks in my moment to moment life I realized I was giving myself headaches thinking about it.  I was trying too hard.  Why is it difficult to remain in Christ?  Well there are the three general reasons: the world, the enemy and the flesh.  I do not know exactly under which - or what combination - of the three my trouble lies, but as I 'randomly' came to John 17:24 I found my fundamental problem.

Jesus says, "Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am..."

Desire.  Jesus desires me to be with Him!  The NIV Bible translates the word as 'want'.  In the Greek the word is, thelō - to will, have in mind, intend, to be resolved or determined, to purpose, to desire, to wish, to love, to like to do a thing, be fond of doing, to take delight in, have pleasure.  Now in my life I have had my share of people who made it clear to me that I was not wanted.  I typically swung the pendulum of, "What did I do? How do I fix it?" to, "Fine, forget you".  If we do not realize and internalize that Jesus wants us, that God desires us, we may find it difficult to abide in Christ because of our own insecurity and/or pride.  These two sin patterns come from our misunderstanding of who God is and who we are before Him.  

For me, the beginning of abiding in Christ is accepting that I am wanted by God.  Then I may rest in Him, assured.