“Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Christmas time is my favourite time of year. It brings joy to remember all the Christmas’ past with family, friends and present. My greatest memory is that no matter where I stayed throughout the year, I would be home for Christmas. Home meant my parents, my siblings, lots of food and presents galore. Home was a place where you permanently resided, even if only in your dreams.

Today as we reflect on the true meaning of Christmas, Christ wants us to come home to him. In other words he wants us to ABIDE in his presence. Let us explore what ABIDE means in this context.

Firstly A in ABIDE means Adoration of the Saviour of the entire world. God is calling us away from the altars of false worship laden with the idols that distract us from purposeful living. Everything else is temporary: Altars of football, houses, cars, people, goods, services. God wants us to give all our adoration and worship to the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Why you may ask?

“But for us, There is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created, and through whom we live.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭8‬:‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

As the passage indicates, we were created by God through Jesus so that we can live for God and through Jesus. God took the time to create us with all our idiosyncrasies to bring change to the world. Let us adore him and demonstrate to the world that Jesus is Lord.

Secondly, B is for Boldly Bowing down. God is calling us to change our posture, to be realigned with his position. This requires courage. It is not easy to admit that we are approaching things from the wrong angle. God is calling us to surrender to God’s way of operating which is vastly different from the systems of the world that seek to twist us out of shape. God the master potter is seeking to transform us into his image, which requires us to come boldly to the throne of grace.

Thirdly I is for Inspiration. God is the creative genius who spoke and the world transformed from darkness to light. This same God inspires us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. When our minds are renewed we become cocreators with him and step away from the things that drive wedges in our adoration to God. All scripture is God inspired. Let us turn unfilled to God again and again and ask for daily inspiration from so that we can be a bright flaming light to those in the darkness.

Fourthly, E is Everlasting. When we are called to abide with God, it is not temporary but permanently forever with the Lord, Amen so let it be. Though our hearts are prone to wander and leave the God we love, God died to save us from permanent separation. Jesus is standing at our doors knocking just waiting for us to throw the door wide open inviting him to be a permanent resident so that we can say with the writer “Yes, in me, in me he dwelleth ; I in Him, and He in me! And my empty soul He filleth , Here and through eternity”.

Prayer

Father we come to you ready to abide in your presence. Show us how in Jesus Christ so that others may see you in us. We give you thanks and praise that our home is permanently with you even when our earthly ones disappear. In Jesus’ name. Amen