November 26 — "Abiding: When Jesus Becomes Home"

Today's Reading: John 15 

Picture your relationship with Jesus as a slow-unfolding journey—one that looks a lot like the way we grow closer to any person who eventually becomes indispensable to us. At first, you simply hear about Him. Someone mentions His name. You catch glimpses in a sermon, a childhood memory, a verse shared online. That’s where the disciples started too—just hearing whispers about a rabbi from Nazareth who taught with authority and healed with compassion.

Then comes the moment you meet Him. Maybe it’s subtle, maybe it’s seismic—but something awakens in you. Just as Andrew and John first met Jesus by the seashore, curiosity pulls you in closer. You’re no longer hearing second-hand; you’ve encountered Him personally.

Next you begin to spend occasional time with Him. You pray now and then. You read a few verses. You show up to church. The disciples had this stage too—weeks of walking with Him, returning home, then seeking Him out again. You’re intrigued, affected, but not yet all-in.

Then comes the stage where you start following Him consistently. Like Peter leaving his nets, you make room for Him in your schedule, your decisions, your worldview. You’re not perfect. Neither were they. But you’re learning His voice, and His presence becomes a regular part of your days.

Then—beautifully—you grow to enjoy Him. Truly enjoy Him. Conversations with Him become natural. His Word becomes your food. His nearness becomes your comfort. Think of those long walks the disciples shared, the quiet conversations on the hillside, the laughter on the road.

Finally comes the step Jesus is actually inviting you into in John 15:4: moving in together. “Abide in Me, and I in you.” This is not visiting rights. This is not occasional check-ins. This is shared life. Shared space. Shared rhythms. The word “abide” is used 40 times in John’s Gospel, making it one of the dominant theological themes of this book. In fact, Jesus uses this word 11 times in this chapter alone. It’s a word in Greek (μείνατε) that means to settle down and make yourself at home. To stay. To remain. To move in together and do life together—as one.

And here’s the beauty of it. When we join Him in this shared life—His life and spiritual vitality flow into our lives like sap through a branch. It happens as His Spirit quietly, steadily, and supernaturally supplies what we could never produce on our own. The more we stay connected to Him in trust and obedience, the more His strength, wisdom, and life-giving power naturally flow into every part of who we are.

It turns out that abiding is simply you choosing, day after day, to stay where He has already placed you—in His love, His Word, His presence.

May the Lord draw you ever deeper into the joy of abiding. May your relationship with Jesus move beyond visits and into shared life. And may you sense Him working through you today with His power and love.