November 2, 2015
The night before Jesus’ death, He spoke to His disciples about the need to abide in Him and the benefits of doing so.
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.—John 15:51
He also states that He will live within those who love Him and obey His teachings.
As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.—John 15:9–112
If anyone loves Me, he will obey My teaching. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make our home [abode] with him.—John 14:233
Jesus said to abide in Him, to abide in His love, to have His words abide in you; all of these point toward our continually remaining in Him and His words remaining in us. It emphasizes the importance our connection with Him plays in our lives, that without it we can’t bear fruit; with it we will not only be fruit-bearing, but we will also have His joy in us.
The principle of “abide in Me and I in you” is the basis of our spiritual life, our relationship to God. It includes the time we spend reading God’s Word and other things that keep us connected to Him and deepen our relationship to God. It’s the communion and fellowship we have with Jesus, the time in prayer and praise, time spent listening to Him.
When we are connected to God through abiding in Him, we will have more peace and trust in His care and provision, even when faced with difficulties or challenges.
I can tend to worry. I worry about the future, about our children and grandchildren, and if they are going to be okay, and what the future holds. These and many other things weigh on me, wake me up at night, and I have to fight to put them into the Lord’s hands and have faith. So when I talk about this, I am preaching to myself as well.
Jesus told His disciples—those who were seeking first His kingdom and righteousness—that they shouldn’t be anxious or troubled or worried about the things of this life; that they should trust in God’s care, His knowledge of their need, and His ability to supply. He instructed them to not feel nervous or afraid about what may or may not happen in the future, but rather to live with peace of heart and mind, knowing that God is in control, that He has our best interests at heart, and that He loves us and will care for us. This doesn’t mean we don’t do our part to fill our needs, but it means that we’re not to fret and worry. It’s the principle of trusting in God and in His promises. It’s the principle of understanding that God is faithful, that what He promises He will perform, and that He, the God of the universe, loves us and will care for us.
Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
Therefore do not be anxious, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.—Matthew 6:25–344
Jesus is saying we shouldn’t worry or be anxious about our food, our clothes, or our future. This doesn’t mean to be irresponsible and to never think about such things, nor that we shouldn't do anything about them, but He’s saying we aren’t to be anxious or fearful. God knows our needs. He’s promised that as we put things in the right priority by seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness first, He will take care of our needs. The concept is expressed well in the following anecdote:
It is related that Elizabeth I of England once commissioned a rich merchant prince of her empire to go on an important mission for the crown, promising him rich rewards for his services. The merchant sought to decline the appointment on the grounds that his business would suffer during his absence, but his sovereign assured him: “You go and look after my business, and I will look after yours.” On his return, he found that his queen had kept her promise: he was a richer man than he was before.5
As disciples, we are called to do God’s business. When we do, He will take care of us. Jesus taught this principle to His disciples in a practical manner when He sent the 12 out on their own, and then again when He sent the 72 out.
He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts.—Mark 6:86
Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep.—Matthew 10:9–107
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of Him, two by two, into every town and place where He himself was about to go. And He said to them … behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals.—Luke 10:1–48
Jesus was teaching His disciples the principle of trusting Him for their needs. He wasn’t preaching against money. In fact, on the night before His death He told them they should take money, and a bag, and even a sword. Yet when He told them this, He reminded them that He was more than able to supply for them.
He said to them, “When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.” He said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one.”—Luke 22:35–369
When His disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, He taught them the Lord’s Prayer, which included Give us this day our daily bread.10 In other words, we are to pray for the basic needs in our lives. As opposed to being fretful or anxious, Jesus wants us to have peace in our hearts, to trust Him, to know that He can calm the troubled waters of our worries, that we can trust Him for our needs.
God doesn’t want us to be anxious, worried, or fretting, but to trust that as we do His will, as we abide in Him, as we give Him the right priority in life, as we follow where He leads us personally, He will care for us. He will give us peace of heart, mind, and spirit.
Originally published November 2011. Adapted and republished November 2015.
Read by Jason Lawrence.
1 ESV.
2 NKJ.
3 NIV.
4 ESV.
5 Good Thots, Commitment, 53.
6 NKJ.
7 NIV.
8 ESV.
9 ESV.
10 Matthew 6:11 ESV.
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