Abide

I found a picture this morning of one of the hydrangea bushes in the flower garden of our previous home. When we moved into the parsonage there, a large flower bed surrounded the entire house. It was full of plants of every kind, but it was also so large that I found it difficult to manage.

Then I experienced 5 years of repeated knee and leg injuries. I had two torn meniscuses with surgeries and long recovery periods. I fractured the weight bearing part of my tibial bone in the leg and was laid up for 3 months with strict instructions to stay off my leg. So I had to get around with a leg brace and crutches. And on and on it went.

I was emotional and spiritually discouraged and as a result of all these things, my flower garden got out of control. The more out of control it got and the more the weeds took over, the more overwhelmed I felt as I looked at it.

One cold February day I happened to go outside and saw the flower pictured above still clinging to the vine. On that particular day the wind was whipping and nearly knocked me off my feet. And yet those blossoms still clung to tightly on their stems. They had faced lake effect snow that measured in multiple feet. They experienced rain, hail and a host of other elemental forces and yet they were still hanging on.

I was reminded of how those who are in Christ should be when facing adversity - clinging tightly to the vine. As I was praying this morning the word, abide, came into my head. As we abide in Christ as we go through a storm, He will keep us anchored to Him. He will be with us as we go through trying times, good times, times when we think we will sink under pressure and times when we want to despair.

I'm not sure what you may be experiencing today, but be encouraged. Because no matter what storm comes your way, when you are clinging to the vine that is Christ you will not be overtaken. He will see you through the storm and you will find that you are still anchored in Him.