1 John 2:28-29
28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
Adults don't like to be talked down to. No one, regardless of age wants to be patronized or made to feel stupid. However, we come time and time again to scripture to be called children. And we keep coming back!(?)! There must be something to this Christianity thing.
My guess is that we actually know our place in this relationship. We know that we are like children, like sheep gone astray, like prodigal children returning sheepishly over and over to our heavenly Father. But this scripture extends beyond us. We abide.
I am not usually one to turn to Merriam-Webster, but one of the definitions for "abide" is "to endure without yielding." Not only are we grafted into the body of Christ through our faith, we are grafted into the body through Christ's faith. It is not our righteousness, but Christ's righteousness that welcomes us in and calls us not only to abide, but endure. Today, may Christ's peace bless you and keep you. May you abide in Christ and with Christ.
Prayer: God of patience, teach us to abide, endure, persevere, and love what you love. Amen.
