Abiding In the Love of God

​Let’s begin with a quick English lesson, Marriam Webster defines abide as remaining stable or fixed in a state. In this definition it is an intransitive verb, meaning (1) it is an action verb that expresses a doable action, like to stay or to remain, and (2) it does not have a direct object receiving the action. It is a stand-alone act. So, when we abide in God’s love, no one or no think is receiving that action. It is something we do in and of and for ourselves.
 
Let us take a walk-through Acts 17:24-28. The passage begins by clarifying just who God is: “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 
 
The God who made the world and everything in it. This is the God we serve. This is the God who loves us. The God who at the mere utterance of his voice created this entire world. 
 
You know sometimes I take this for granted. Well, to be honest, not sometimes, but most times. I get up, pray, read my bible and then I am off with my day and so often it is only during those quiet moments that I reflect on the ALL of who God is. For the most part the rest of my day is spent leaning on my talents and abilities. I find myself spinning around trying to handle things on my own, when I am loved by the God who created the world. I only need to lean on him. Now how much stress would that remove from our lives if we truly embraced that one fact!
 
It doesn’t stop there. The passage goes on to say, And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 
First, did you catch the part where it says, “he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything.” That circles back to where we learned that when we abide in God’s love we are not affecting him at all. Remember, to abide in this sense is intransitive, meaning in basic terms, we are not doing God any favors when we chose to abide in his love. So, let’s not get it twisted, when we make the Bible our standard and hold unswervingly to the instructions and promises of God, it is not for his benefit, we are not doing it for him, we are doing it BECAUSE of him! 
 
As we move along in the passage we see where it says, From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. From one man he made all the nations, there are currently 195 independent nations and over 60 plus dependent countries that is over 255 nations! 
 
Now, do you really think anyone who can ensure that over 255 nations are inhabited REALLY needs anything from us? And he did it in such detail, it says he marked out their appointed time in history and the boundaries of their lands. So, you see, your being here right where you are today, exactly where you are, is no accident or happenstance. You are where you are because of the divine will of God. 

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