Closer Than CloseSample

“What Should I Do? Abide in My Love”

If we have been made one with Christ, how then are we to act? What is left for us to “do” if we are already as close to Jesus as possible?

All too often, Christians seek to “grow spiritually” without realizing that the call of the spiritual life is first and foremost to abide in our union with Christ. As Jesus said to his disciples, “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” (JHN.15.4).

So what does it mean to “abide” in Christ? While the word itself means “to live” or “to lodge,” at the heart of abiding is the call to do nothing. Yes, you read that right. The discipline of doing nothing is the first step in awakening to the mystery and wonder of our union with Christ.

Watchman Nee, in his classic work Sit, Walk, Stand, argues that the first step in all spiritual growth is to “sit down and enjoy what God has done for us—not to set out to try to attain it for ourselves.” Since, after making purifications of sins, Christ “sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:3), all those united to Christ have now been made to sit with him. This is why Paul says that “in Christ” we have been “blessed … with every spiritual blessing” (Ephesians 1:3). Whatever is his is ours. Whatever he has accomplished is already accomplished for us and in us. Wherever he is, there we are. And where we are is “seated … with him in the heavenly places” right this second (Ephesians 2:6). What an amazing truth!

If we somehow skip the art of abiding, we will inevitably see the Christian life as a perpetual “pressing” into Christ or a constant “chasing” after him, instead of simply abiding in the intimacy we already share with and in Christ. Abiding in Christ’s love is not something we do. It’s an internal posture of being. It’s “doing” the hard work of believing (sometimes against all hope) that God gets more glory out of your simple presence than your steadfast performance. Remember, you aren’t created to be a “human doing” but a “human being.” So, as you go about your day today, do so in a posture of abiding in and with your Heavenly Father.

Do you believe that you are God’s beloved, even when you aren’t “doing” anything for him? Why or why not?

What are some ways you can begin to simply abide in Christ today?