As each year nears an end, I come to the Lord Jesus Christ in prayer, asking Him what One Word He would have me focus on in the coming year. As we moved toward 2020, I clearly heard God’s voice. The word was ABIDE.

For the month of January, I will be doing blog posts at least a few times a week as I go through a devotional book by Andrew Murray. Today’s devotional in Abide in Christ: A 31-Day Devotional For Fellowship with Jesus begins with two very familiar Scriptures. The first is found in Matthew 11:28.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”‭‭

To those who have heard and responded to this call to Come, a new invitation has been given. This invitation is the call to not just come, but to go deeper, to draw closer to our Savior. It is found in John 15:4.

“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.

Andrew Murray says all the blessings that are connected with the call to “Come” are only to be enjoyed as we enter into close fellowship with Jesus. Jesus is saying, “Come to me to stay with me.”‭‭

Jesus has prepared for you “an abiding dwelling with Himself,” where we live not just for a short time as we have our morning quiet time but every moment of the day in the presence of our Savior and Lord. As we go about our daily lives, doing our daily work, His desire is that we would enjoy unbroken communion with Him.

We are to run to His open arms, receive His welcome, and remain there as He opens up all His life and love to us. We are to live daily in the truth that NOTHING can separate us from His love.

My prayer as you and I begin 2020 is that this will be a year of abiding in Christ, of continual communion with the One who loves us so much that He was willing to lay down His life to make a way for us to be forgiven and restored to relationship with our heavenly Father.