by Fawehinmi Oluwatobi
Jesus says, Abide in me and I in You...
Let us pursue the first part, “Abide in Me...”, drawing some object lessons.
The word “abide” means to “live in’’, “to dwell”, “to remain in a place”. This word is related to the word “abode” which is “a place of dwelling or sojourn.” We can call this a house.
What would we consider the most important rooms of a house? The kitchen (some call it the powerhouse), the bedroom, the toilet, the store, the sitting room or parlour.
Can we liken Jesus to a house we live in? I believe so. Let us attempt to and learn some lessons of dependence on Him, the most important lesson we must all learn.
Primarily, the kitchen is the room for preparing food. We can consider it one of the most inviting places because of the aroma it emits when good food is being cooked. Through the demonstration of His love Jesus invites us Daily Christ prepares meals of His word and invites us to His kitchen to eat. Jeremiah responded thus, “Your words were found and I ate them...” Jer 15:16 Jesus must be our Cook, our Source, the one upon whom we feed... However, we must go to the kitchen. If we do not go, we would not eat. This is our powerhouse. Many of us skip our spiritual breakfast and think we would have strength for the day.
Empowered by the meals we eat, we are able to meet with men and women in Jesus. This is the sitting room where guests are welcomed. Every meeting is sanctified by thoughts of Him, seeking how that others may learn of Him more. The Christian life never is inactive but welcomes even strangers, calls all to come to the Lord. The message of Jesus is, Come unto Me... Matt 11:28. And generously, we invite our guests to eat of the meal we have had. We even invite them to the kitchen or share a meal with them. Isaiah 55:1-2
The toilet is a room or enclosed area containing a toilet and a place to bathe. Does not Jesus desire to cleanse or purify or purge or wash us daily? See John 2:12-16, Ezekiel 36:25,26. As we feed upon the Word of God in the kitchen, we also would need to pass out wastes from the body in the toilet. Jesus invites us to bring all our filthiness to Him so He can wash us. Isaiah 1:18, 64:6.
What about the store? It is the place we keep items we would have need of later, be it a store for food or appliances. Are we daily committing all things into His care ? Are we laying up treasure in heaven? Do we also realise that in Jesus are hid all knowledge and spiritual blessings for us to always draw from in times of urgent need? See Col 2:3, Eph 1:3.
The bedroom is the place to rest and sleep at night, the place of love for the married... Are we not called to rest in Jesus and enter into deep communion with Him in the evening?
Is Jesus your Abode?
Fawehinmi Oluwatobi