ABIDING IN THE PRESENCE OF JESUS
There is so much that I cannot do. But this one thing I can—I can abide in Jesus. I can stay near to my Lord if I truly long to do so. I can walk with Him so closely that His presence becomes my very atmosphere. I can know Him, not as a distant King, but as the Beloved of my soul. He can be the One I think of when my eyes open each morning and the last thought before I drift into sleep. His name can become the sweetest sound my heart will ever hear. Such intimacy with Christ is not reserved for a chosen few; it belongs to every soul that desires Him more than the world.
When this becomes reality, He is not merely part of our lives—He is the center of them. Every decision bows to His will. Every ambition is filtered through His Word. His smile becomes our reward, and His displeasure our greatest grief. Our obedience flows not from duty, but from love. When we speak, His Spirit gives meaning to our words. When we act, His life directs our steps. The verdict of others, whether praise or scorn, matters little. Let them say what they will—“These people have been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).
You will know Jesus as deeply as you desire. You will experience His closeness as strongly as you hunger for Him. You will have as much of Jesus as you truly want. Never forget this. The devil will tell you that such fellowship is impossible—that others may know Him so, but not you. Do not believe that lie. Surrender and desire open the door. Through these, you can walk with Christ as Paul did, and know the same holy fire that burned within him.
Jesus calls this life abiding. “Abide in Me,” He said (John 15:4). To abide is not to visit His presence occasionally, but to make His presence your dwelling place. Before we can speak of abiding, however, we must first speak of beginning—for this relationship is not the shallow faith of convenience. It is the deep union of a heart crucified with Christ. It is the very life Paul longed to see in the Galatians, who had begun in the Spirit but wandered into self-effort.
The Corinthians, too, though baptized and called “sanctified in Christ Jesus” (1 Corinthians 1:2), were still babes in Christ. Paul said he could not speak to them as spiritual but as worldly (1 Corinthians 3:1). His letter was a gentle summons—Come higher. Leave behind your carnality. Live in the fullness of Jesus.
That call still echoes through the ages. It is Christ Himself whispering, “Abide in Me.” Not just on the mountaintop, but in the valley. Not just in joy, but in the secret sorrow. Not just in the moment of prayer, but through every breath. And as we do, the life of the Vine will flow through the branch—Christ in us, the hope of glory.
Lord Jesus, draw me nearer. Teach me what it means to abide in You. Let my heart find its home in Your presence and my strength in Your love. Take away every distraction that keeps me from Your side. Let Your life flow through mine, until others see not me, but You alone. Amen.
BDD
