Parents, Abide in Him

In John fifteen, Jesus uses a gardening allegory to tell his followers about healthy and vibrant spiritual growth and development. Jesus explains that when we enter into a relationship with Him there is a life-giving connection along with a sustaining maintenance procedure that we must willingly and actively pursue if we are to bloom, grow, and bear fruit as He intends us to. In effect, he describes how we are to be “hitched” or connected to Him as a branch is to a vine. Our fruit-bearing and growth is increased by the sometimes painful process of pruning, which removes dead or overgrown parts so that we might become more productive. What is the secret to this kind of growth? Jesus says the secret is this: “Abide in me.” The word abide is used ten times in this passage. It describes a kind of “hitching” to our life-source, Jesus Christ. Parents, as we abide in Jesus, His life begins to permeate and transform us, keeping us spiritually vibrant, healthy, and fruitful.