Remain


 "'Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.'" John 15:1-8
 
As I turned around, I was feeling pretty good about myself. All my shots were in the inner circles of the target. The looks on my kids' and friend's faces, however, were not looks of being impressed. They were looks of concern. My friend told us before shooting this gun that it was important to remain a certain distance away from the scope because of the kickback. Well, let's just say that the blood coming from the bridge of my nose revealed a failure on my part to heed his warning.
 
Jesus was having quite the talk with the disciples as they walked to the Garden of Gethsemane. He gave them plenty of safety instructions which included warnings as well. They needed to stay as close to him as they could imagine and then get closer. "Remain in me," he said. There was to be no space allowed between their hearts and his. No space between his commands and their obedience. What was at stake? Nothing less than the fulfillment of their Kingdom destiny.
 
Jesus invites all of us into a relationship of continuous contact with him. Sadly, we are all easily distracted from this focused posture. "No big deal," we say. "I got this," we say. "No harm, no foul," we say. "Remain!" he says. "Change the world!" he says. "Live large!" he says. Each day we are granted, we are choosing who or what to remain in. To whom or what are we knitting our hearts? Is that particular whomever or whatever able to provide the best life possible now and forever?        

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