Abiding in Christ

 Abiding in Christ ~ one of the Happy things

Today, I realised again that to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Nothing could be more glorious than to leave this world to live in His eternal Kingdom, but equally, nothing could be more glorious than to spend our days on earth loving our King Jesus with all that we are and have and abiding in Him. 

Crucifixion and resurrection 

How does this happen?

Accept His invitation to be crucified.

On the other side of death and crucifixion is the resurrection and rising of new life.

Leave behind your old ways, leave selfishness for selfless love.

But, as our wise curate reminded us today, slip not into Pelagianism; you cannot earn this. He is the one who transforms us.

He says: abide with me.

Again as our curate says, he offers life or death. The only funny thing is death means life but as Jesus says the one who tries to save their own life will lose it. 

I choose life. 

To live in you, Lord,

 to live in God's love

To be attached to Jesus

Abiding is attachment (see Ann Voskamp's book Waymaker for more on this wonderful concept)

Abiding is dwelling in His love. 

Abiding is being crucified with Christ and rising to life in His Kingdom.

FALLING into Perfect Love, into Jesus.

We lose the world to gain our souls. We let go to take hold of Him. Hold fast to Him. cling to Him. Cleave to Christ. Abide with Him. 

To be attached to God we must detach from sin. We must turn our backs on the world. We must turn to God. And STAY THERE.

Dwell in His courts as Anna did. And you will grow attached to Him. Turn to Him every day in love, and you will bear the fruits of repentance (which means to turn).

As Ann Voskamp says, 'All of life turns on the turn'. 

Turn your eyes upon Jesus the wonderful old hymn entreats us. 

To Live is Christ to die is gain.

I surrender all of me. I go into the way of Jesus.

May my life only and always bear fruits of repentance.

I will bear fruits worthy of repentance!

As I heard it preached today, when we are renewed by His fire we can. 

We are made new in His love.

AMEN.

Edited on 04/03/23 to include Photo by Yannick Pulver