This summer Paul and I had the joy of traveling with good friends to
Ireland. Ireland is a beautiful country
with stunning scenery, a fascinating history, and lovely people. We stayed at a
B&B on Inch Beach. The view from the breakfast room window was stunning,
but when we entered the building the words on this bronze wall hanging caught
my eye: “Bidden, or unbidden, God is present.”
I can relate to this idea that God’s presence among us is not dependent
on our request. He does not wait for us
to be ready. He does not expect us to clean and decorate our hearts. He does
not wait for us to welcome Him. He dwells among us in His love, in His Son, in
His Spirit. God abides with us, and because of this, we abide in Him.
To abide is to remain. When Jesus came to earth, He remained for a lifetime. He
lived a human life and knew our joys and struggles. He returned to heaven, yet
He abides with us through His word. In heaven, or on earth, God is present.
To abide is to wait. Now, we await His return with eager
anticipation. We want to abandon this world and one day abide with Jesus in
heaven. In working, or in waiting, we have hope.
To abide is to rest. The world careens around us, but in Him, we find rest for
our weariness. The peace of a newborn Jesus abides with us, even in the midst
of turmoil. In easy times or struggle, God is peace.
As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. John
15:9
Because of this abiding, this love, this joy, we can look forward to the
year to come with eagerness and courage. Jesus came to earth as an infant to
abide with us: salvation is won, and our hope is secure. I pray His peace,
strength, and love abide with you in the coming year.
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