June 20 - John 15:7

If you abide in me,

and my words abide in you,

ask for whatever you wish,

and it will be done for you.

John 15:7

“Abide” is from the same root word as “abode.” Abode is a noun. It’s the place where we live. Abide is a verb. It’s the action of living there.

Based on that, let’s retranslate this: If you live in me, and my words live in you, then be bold to ask because God is glad to act.

Do you get the four main points …

1. If you live in me … Is Jesus your abode? Are you more at home in him than you are in the world? Living in him means knowing him and loving him … and even more so … it is caring about what he cares about. Living in Jesus means looking like Christ and sharing his character.
2. and if my words live in you … How do we live in Christ? It’s by – first – letting him live in us. Christ lives in us (in a profound way) through his Word. God’s Word speaks his truth. It sets right priorities. It guides us along the ways of peace.
3. … then be bold to ask … Here’s where people get confused. They read the second half of this verse – ask and it will be done for you – but they forget the first part. If we live and breathe God’s word and if we abide in Christ so fully that we share his character, then and only then can we ask and it will be done. Why? Because our lives are aligned. We’re asking for what God desires and is doing anyway. (And of course, we can’t know the Word well, if we’re not in the Word much.)
4. … because God is glad to act … God is living and active, and when we align our lives we’ll see evidence of his power constantly. And he uses those prayers. In God’s economy, he very often works through people. And he often waits until someone (or enough people) are asking. But the only prayers that avail much are the prayers that are aligned with his will (because God is obviously not going to act contrary to his character). Therefore, if we want to see his power, we have to let his word live in us so that we can live in him.

In Christ’s Love,

A guy who needs

to go to post office

(think they’ll honor

a change of address label

that says, “Home: In God”?)