Abide in Christ

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” 

John 15:5

My friend Leslie recently attended a virtual conference, and she said to me, “Joni, I really needed that event; it super-charged my spiritual batteries, and I’m now ready for whatever comes!” I appreciated her comments, but they made me think of a smart phone resting in a charging station until its battery-level reached 100%. No, if we want the power of Christ in our lives, it’s not about “plugging into him” until we feel empowered and ready to go.

Instead, listen to Jesus in John 15: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” To abide in Christ is like a branch resting in a vine. They are one and the same. You are united with Christ, and it is impossible to plug-in, then plug-out. Abide in Christ all the time, because he’s all the power you need.