This morning as I’ve had my devotions I’ve been stricken by a verse I seem to have overlooked.  It is found in John 15:4.  It says, “Dwell in Me and I will dwell in you.  Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me.”  This verse is very familiar to me.  I’ve wanted to abide in Christ all my life and bear fruit for Him.  However, what awoke in me this morning are the first three words–“Dwell in Me”.

Have you ever pictured yourself inside something?  The second part of this passage says, “…and I will dwell in you.”  This is the part I’ve always pictured and struggled with.  I’ve tried to see Christ living in me.  I’ve blogged about this numerous times.  Today, I get what Christ is wanting me to get grounded in.  It is this first step, “Dwell in Me”.  If I dwell in something I stay there.  We say it is a dwelling place.

As I was journaling about all of this after completing my scripture reading I was able to recognize something.  I’ve always been uneasy and insecure about taking myself into almost any situation.  I don’t have a lot of confidence in myself.  I’ve had people tell me I appear confident, but that is just a façade.  Inside, I am often on pins and needles.  I have “tried to picture Christ in me,” but I’ve just not ever thought or pictured me being in Christ–dwelling in Him.

All of this may sound trivial to you, but it is huge to me.  As I was pondering this (visualizing this) I could see me stepping into Christ where there was perfect peace.  It is then that the 2nd part of the passage becomes complete.  It says, “Dwell in me and I will dwell in you.”  There is a deep settled peace I’ve often missed by not being awake to this.  I’m going to be far more aware of this truth from now on.  And one more thing, after reading this and taking this step, go back and read chapter 14.  As I read this chapter picturing myself in Christ, I was able to believe (see as possible for me) what it says.