On the night of his arrest, Jesus sat at the table with his disciples for the last supper. Toward the end of his time with them, he said the following.
(John 15) “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.”
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”
“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.”
In John 15 ( and I have not included all of it), Jesus says the word remain ten times. It is that important. This is how I use it. When I am having a bad day or when things are not going according to Sarah’s plan, I try to remember, remain in Jesus. It brings extraordinary comfort to me. It’s like having loving arms there to embrace you whenever you need them. Think about it, feeling alone when you are frightened or sad is the worst possible emotion. Remembering that Jesus wants you to remain in him and be close, changes everything for the better.
You are not alone. There is someone who has your back while holding you in the tenderest of embraces. Do you remember being held as a child? Feeling then that nothing could possibly harm you in this protected position? Jesus wants you to have that feeling whenever you need it. “Remain in me,” he said. “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
Remain. One word that holds so much power, so much comfort and so much promise. “Remain in me,” he said to them. He told them that he would be leaving soon but that they were not losing him. All they had to do was to remain in him.
Remember this word – R E M A I N. Imprint it on your brain. Tattoo it onto your heart. Think of it often. Remain in His love. It will change you. It will lift you up. It will bring you joy. God bless.