Abide with us

I was stirred strongly by a verse of scripture the other day:Luke 24:29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with themIs it not amazing that the resurrected Lord Jesus who had overcome death and hell and had ascended to the Father was constrained to abide with two men simply because they asked Him to? This staggers me! It is such a powerful illustration of our Lord’s words:Mathew 18:19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall AGREE ON EARTH as touching any thing that THEY SHALL ASK, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, THERE I AM IN THE MIDST of them.Here are two men who with one accord (agree on earth) who gained the Lord’s presence simply by asking him. This is precious. The presence of the Lord makes all the difference in our churches (two or three gathered in the name of the Lord) for he is the teacher and the master. If we are to know God, we must seek Him fervently. Moreover, if we can have the presence of God by asking, our prayer would have less words and more unction!James

The Methodists in Zimbabwe have a hymn that I have attempted to translate…of course, many of the rhyme schemes and parallels of the poetry in this song are all but destroyed but I think the message is still a good one. GARAI NENI (ABIDE WITH ME)The sun has set abide with me MasterThe darkness has come, Master abide with meAs I tarry Lord my I be faithful forever May I seek you always MasterYour mercy surpasses me, Through your grace, I have all things,You are almighty abide with me MasterI shall not fear death O Father,I have neither sadness nor despair, Death shall not consume my soulYou are almighty abide with me masterMay I be shown the ways of righteousness,Pure savior you have my heartMay your dawning cast out darknessYou are almighty abide with me masterMy life is just a vapor I have no joy in this worldAll things of this world shall wither awayYou are almighty abide with me master

Henry Lyte was in­spired to write this hymn as he was dy­ing of tu­ber­cu­lo­sis; he fin­ished it the Sun­day he gave his fare­well ser­mon in the par­ish he served so ma­ny years. The next day, he left for Italy to re­gain his health. He didn’t make it, though—he died in Nice, France, three weeks af­ter writ­ing these words. Here is an ex­cerpt from his fare­well ser­mon: O breth­ren, I stand here among you today, as alive from the dead, if I may hope to im­press it upon you, and in­duce you to pre­pare for that sol­emn hour which must come to all, by a time­ly ac­quaint­ance with the death of Christ.Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.When other helpers fail and comforts flee,Help of the helpless, O abide with me.Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;Change and decay in all around I see;O Thou who changest not, abide with me.Not a brief glance I beg, a passing word;But as Thou dwell’st with Thy disciples, Lord,Familiar, condescending, patient, free.Come not to sojourn, but abide with me.Come not in terrors, as the King of kings,But kind and good, with healing in Thy wings,Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea—Come, Friend of sinners, and thus bide with me.Thou on my head in early youth didst smile;And, though rebellious and perverse meanwhile,Thou hast not left me, oft as I left Thee,On to the close, O Lord, abide with me.I need Thy presence every passing hour.What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

John 15:1-81 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vineyard keeper. 2 Every branch in Me that does not produce fruit He removes, and He prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me. 5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me. 6 If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be My disciples.

Thank you for sharing this :)

It’s amazing how the pressing realization of our earthly mortality can so suddenly provide boundary that gives definition to the content of our lives,... either revealing we have treasures of faith or flesh. At the close of this life on earth, faith provides the light to behold Him in eternity and flesh provides the weights with which we sink into the abyss.

This dear brothers words are clear just as our Christ’s words are clear,
.... abide
How do we abide brother James, want are your thoughts?

Blessings,
Fletcher