Abide

Dictionary.com defines the word Abide as this:

• to remain; continue; stay  
• to continue in a particular condition, attitude, relationship. 

As a verb Abide is defined as:

• to have one's abode, to dwell, reside 
• to remain to continue to stay 
• to wait for, await
• to accept with opposition or question

 In a couple different ways this word resonates really deeply with me. It most clearly applies in the fact that I am reminded daily how I am not so good at abiding...but let's be honest here, the word packs a lot of punch.  
 I love the way the Lord talks about this word in scripture, specifically in John 15:1-17 and 1 John 4:7-21. The Lord talks about really remaining in Him and all that He is, specifically, his love. My head can wrap around that fact, that the Lord loves me, it's pretty simple, but I know my heart has a harder time grasping that concept. In abiding in the Lord, His promises, His truth, His word, I also have to accept without opposition or question all that He is and therefore all that he says I am. To fully and completely believe and reside in His truth. Again, it sounds so simple. And it really is, and in moments and seasons it has been really easy for me to take him at his word, believe him fully, live there, and to remain. And there have also been lots of seasons where I have needed a lot of grace to abide in the Lord and His truth. This word pairs so perfectly with one of my favorite hymns, by Louisa M. R. Stead,
Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus.
I hope these lyrics resonate in a new way with you today as you read them:

1. ’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
   Just to take Him at His Word;
   Just to rest upon His promise,
   And to know, “Thus saith the Lord!”
   • Refrain:
     Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
     How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er;
     Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
     Oh, for grace to trust Him more!
2. Oh, how sweet to trust in Jesus,
   Just to trust His cleansing blood;
   And in simple faith to plunge me
   ’Neath the healing, cleansing flood!
3. Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
   Just from sin and self to cease;
   Just from Jesus simply taking
   Life and rest, and joy and peace.
4. I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,
   Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
   And I know that Thou art with me,
   Wilt be with me to the end.
   
   

Abide is really a word that I desire as a banner over my life, heart, and mind. To remain fully in, to accept without opposition or question, and to dwell there in who the Lord is and all He says I am.

Some Recent Thoughts...

" He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in. Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for His wondrous works to the children of men! For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things." Psalm 107:7-9

Well for the three of you that even know that this blog exists, I apologize for my long absence. There is a lot that is new and exciting in my life. I can't wait to share in pictures and words of the ABSOLUTE sweetness of this season.

 But instead of tackling that right now, I thought I would try make sense, in blog format, of the things that have been rolling around my mind and heart. I have been thinking about covenants, promises, hope, and joy in the waiting. I have been stirred to study the different covenants the Lord makes through out the scriptures and still today, so naturally I dove into "Systematic Theology" and the Bible to begin to learn more. There was more than I could possibly speak to now and much of which I am still processing, but at the elementary level of it all the Lord, allows us to enter into covenants with him. Usually those covenants center around some sort of promise/hope the Lord has given us. Sounds basic enough, right, but then as I begin to linger more here I thought about how the person of Christ is an answered promise, continued hope and the key to entering into a covenant relationship with God the Father. The answered promise of Christ didn't come anytime soon after he was first mentioned. There was longings for Him, generation after generation, we first hear of Christ's coming in Genesis 3 and don't see that promise come to fruition until the gospels, and that comes after lots of waiting, hoping, and 400 years of silence. 

So track with me here for a minute...

I was thinking about how God, our Sovereign Father, who knows all, and orchestrates all, planned out  to the exact detail when Jesus would come. He is our hope and our promise. He knew exactly when it was best for every prophecy to be made about Jesus and how exactly all the pieces would fit for Jesus to humbly enter this world when he did. Now I can understand that, seeing the more complete version of how the whole thing fits together. But I wonder what Old Testament me would have thought... In a period of 400 years of silence would I have continually faithfully served and believed my Father's promises to be true even if I would never see them come to fruition in my, my children's, or great grand children's lifetime? 

I just keep coming back to how fervently they waited, hoped, and trusted in the Sovereignty of God. How I desire that in my day to day, moment to moment life, to live completely in taking the Lord's scripture and promises to be true; yet, also fully trusting in His sovereignty and timing. 

I am not sure that this is a completed thought and you will probably see remnants of these thoughts through out the next couple of weeks, but this is all I have as of now.