Home, Part 3

Part 3 of my sermon

 

What does it mean to abide?

There are a lot of dictionary definitions.  It can mean to tolerate – we usually hear it in the negative, as in, “I can’t abide people who are judgmental.”  It can mean to wait – as in biding one’s time.  It can even mean conform, as in “I will abide by the rules.” 

None of that seems to fit.  In this case, I think it is more related to the definition of “to remain.” 

The best metaphor for abide I’ve ever heard involved a sponge and a bowl of water.  Think of a sponge – dry and hard.  The sponge is placed in the bowl of water.  The sponge is now abiding in the bowl of water – completely surrounded, covered.  We abide in God. 

But the water soaks into the sponge.  The sponge is transformed into something that is full of water.  God abides in us – fills us, changes us. 

Abide is about relationship.  It is about presence.  Think of a word that is related to abide – the word abode.  It means home.  This place – this relationship – this dwelling with Christ – living in the presence of God, and God living in us – this is home.  This is where we are meant to be.