The Ways of JesusSample

Should I Follow? Or Should I Just Hold on Tight?

Have you ever jumped in your car, and tried to follow someone to a destination you were unfamiliar with? Some people are easy to follow, and some people are extremely difficult to follow. Some people will use their turn signals and actually drive knowing you are following them. Some people will blow through yellow lights, drive 10 miles over the speed limit, and the next thing you know, there are several cars in between you and the person you are following, and you are left behind, feeling abandoned, lost and maybe a little scared. And then you begin to wish you would have just jumped in the car with them. It is way easier to follow someone when you are in the car with them. Do you ever feel like this when you are following Jesus? You are trying to follow him, but he is just too fast, too far ahead, and you are left feeling lost all the time.

In John 15, Jesus addresses this issue. Jesus says he is the vine and we are the branches. Jesus is the trunk of the tree, and we are the branches. “Abide in me, and I in you.” Abide. Cling to. Hold on tight. Bear hug me. Wrap yourself around my leg like a 2-year-old child. “Apart from me you can do nothing.” Some of us are not able to follow Jesus, because we have never abided in him. We have never had a season where we just hung on to him. Jesus gives us an amazing declaration. You abide in me. I will abide in you. You hold on tight to me, and when you get tired and want to let go, I won’t let you, because I will be holding on to you.

Have you ever abided in Jesus? You will not ever be able to follow Jesus, until you abide in him. Hold on to him today. Trust that he will produce the fruit in your life.