Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Abiding-in other words

Some people accuse me of only knowing one chapter in the Bible--John 15. That is not true! I know at least two or three and Colossians 3 is one of the three.

It is true that I seem to always begin in John 15 when it comes to explaining the Christian life. It is true I almost always end in John 15 when explaining the goal of the Christian life. It is true that I am deliberately repetitive when it comes to sharing what has blessed me most.

Abiding is, however, described in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation using different metaphors and examples.
For example consider this line from Colossians chapter two. "Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase which is from God."

The phrase "holding fast to the Head..." is abiding in different words. How far will you get is you lose connection to your head?
How much does what is in your head have to do with what you can do? How important is your head to your ability to stay connected to those you love? What happens if for even one moment you lose your head?

Every believer has the same "Head" to stay connected to. That is Jesus. As surely as a branch is nothing more that what its Vine allows it to be, so, too, our Head, Jesus, sets our limits and our potential. We can be as good as our Head, Jesus, allows us to be.

Want to abide? Hold fast to Jesus as the Head of your life. Be careful not to let others become the head of your life. There are lines of people vying for your attention in order to become the head of your life. They want to use you for their ends.

You have the mind of Christ right now. Why in the world would you want a better mind than the One that abides in you?

See, we are back at John 15 again. Maybe it is holding on to the Head, Jesus, that keep sending me back there.

The next time you are inclined to think you have nothing to offer this world, remember to "hold fast to the Head." Abiide.

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