Don't focus on Jesus ... abide.

I was reading 1John 2 and was reminded how John saw things … we need to know Jesus and then we need to stick to what we know (v.24).  I then started thinking about how that applies to the whole “People come and go, but I don’t” thing.  See if you can follow my logic … it makes sense to me.

When things change it’s not about the circumstances, it’s about Jesus.  When life get wonky, it’s not about the crap, it’s about Jesus.  When people come and go, it’s not about the transition, it’s about Jesus.  

Too often I see everything but Jesus.  I look at how to fix the junk instead of just looking at Jesus.  The easy answer is … “Just focus on Jesus more.”  (FWIW, I think focus is becoming one of those Christian-ese words … “You just need to focus on Jesus.”  True, but do we even know what that means?  Think really hard about him?  Stare up into space? Read another book about him?)  You see, I don’t think it’s about focus.  It’s about abiding.  John used it in chapter 15 of his gospel story and he uses it again in chapter 2 of his first letter … eleven times to be exact … and then another thirteen times across chapters 4 and 5.

I know what abiding means … I’ve taught on it numerous times.  Some interpret it as remain.  Which is not incorrect … I just think it’s incomplete … it doesn’t tell the whole story.  When I am abiding then I am at rest.  When I am abiding I can easily trust.  When I am abiding there’s no need to worry.

But I forget to apply it … which is ironic since abiding is all about application.  When I say I know Jesus and stick to what I know, then I’m abiding.  When I say I know Jesus but don’t stick to what I know then I’m a hypocrite at best.

So people come and go … so what?  Jesus doesn’t … and I need to abide in that.

I hope that made sense to you.