Rule of Life | Abiding
In John 15, Jesus says, “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.” What a beautiful image of a Rule of Life for a follower of Jesus. Remain is another word for “abide.” It’s this idea of dwelling with, or being present with God always. This is a relational embodiment of life with God.
• Discover: Before filling out the Abiding arena, read John 15:1-11. What do you notice? What does abiding look like?
• Do: What are you currently practicing to abide with Jesus? If your time with God is more sporadic and unplanned, here is a recommendation on where to start: Commit to 10 minutes a day to spend uninterrupted time with God either in the morning, midday, or evening (you know what will work best for you), and grow from there!
Here is a list of “Abiding” Practices to explore: Morning prayer, silence and solitude, daily examen, Sabbath, prayer and fasting, Scripture meditation, etc.
• Share: As you practice, be in a rhythm of learning and debriefing with God and others about your experience using the following questions or prompts:
What is a story of encountering God from this past week’s Abiding practices?
What did you notice happening in you as you practiced abiding with God?
What was challenging, surprising, and/or life-giving?
Where did you most experience God with you?
Pro Tip: How we show up in our relational networks and what shows up in us in those environments is directly connected to our abiding with Jesus.