Abiding

 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.  John 15:4

How does a sheep recognize its shepherd’s voice and know to draw near when he calls? It’s because they have spent most, if not all, of their lives with the shepherd. They can discern the voice of their shepherd over the sound of a predator. The same is true of children with their parents. How do children know their parents’ voices? It’s not because they have learned about their parents or read books about them, but because they have spent time with them, talked to them, and grown with them. The same is true of our relationship with our Shepherd and Heavenly Father. True relationship with Jesus is rooted in how we prioritize nearness to Him. Communication is the key not only to human relationships but also to our relationship with our Creator. I encourage us to evaluate our impression of Jesus: Do we think of Him as a distant, powerful God, loving us from afar? Or do we see Him as our personal Lord and Savior, whom we walk closely with each day, discerning His voice above all others? He is both the Almighty Creator of Heaven and Earth and our intimate, loving, forgiving Father. He doesn’t want to scold us for being far from Him but welcomes us into His loving arms. “We all like sheep, have gone astray” (Isaiah 53:6). But through Jesus, we can be restored to righteous standing and choose the narrow path, knowing Jesus is walking with us. And as we spend time abiding in Him, He reveals Himself more to us, and His voice becomes clearer.