ABIDE WITH ME

ABIDE WITH ME

 

This is the name of a familiar old hymn, and also the title of a devotional article that I read today from ODB. The author mentioned about a certain soccer game in England called the annual FA Cup final, which always begins with the singing of this traditional hymn. He went on to say "At first that struck me as being odd. What does that hymn have to do with football?"

But he went on to describe how as followers of Jesus everything we do in life whether it be sports, working at our job, gong to school etc. Jesus always abides with us whether we always realize it or not. (Heb 13:5). So our actions should always reflect a Christ like attitude, knowing that He is always right there beside us and actually inside us as the indwelling Holy Spirit who was given to us when we received Jesus as Lord. Remember we now are citizens of heaven spiritually, (Eph 2:1-10). Although now for a time we still occupy these earthly bodies and live in this "fallen world". We are actually what we could refer to as having "duel citizenships" as some people have who were born in one country and them immigrant to another. Well if we are "born again" as Jesus told Nicodemus he must be in (John 3:3-8), then we are citizens of heaven as well as citizens of whatever country we reside in.

 

So it would seem to be extremely important then as a follower of Jesus in our century to realize constantly that we are citizens of heaven right "now" and make sure our actions and motives always reflect our position as children of God. Our spiritual journey starts when we receive Jesus as Lord, but remember that is only the start of what could be a long journey up the Agape Road to intimacy with the Father. And this road can have lots of twists and turns, and a few "pot holes" and "detours" to encounter, but remember who you are, and where you are going. The end of the road is certainly heaven when we die, but our goal while still here on earth is to properly represent heaven to sinners in this fallen world who don't know Jesus as the "way". He is not only "the way" to the Father in heaven, but He is the "only way"! (John 14:6). The popular statement "There are many roads that lead to heaven" is a so-called "New Age Lie" that will often lead to hell. Jesus called this the "broad road that leads to destruction" as opposed to the "narrow road that leads to eternal life". So be sure you are traveling on the right road, and help point other travelers to Jesus who is the WAY!!

Sincerely submitted.

Dave Jamer                                                                                  21/07/12