Remain There

“Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.” John 15:4

This just made sense. In mathematics, the number in a division operation that is left over of a quotient is called remainder. This is the amount undivided by the divisor.  It’s a simple thought, the undivided will be the remainder.

The call to remain in Jesus is challenged all our lives. He surely remains in us. On the other hand, we can fall short of remaining in Him. When frustrations about the fruits sets in. When the fruits are not the way we expected. When the fruits are too big to handle. When the fruits are too small to be compared. When the fruits begin to wither.  When the fruits get spoiled.

Let me picture this in actuality. Your loved one died. Your marriage rocks. Your job is gone. Your kid is out of control. Your finances hit all-time low. Your health is dimming. Your friends and community discouraged you.  Your logical knowledge takes over your belief.  Your pressure to conform is too much to hold off.  Your faith falters as situations deviated as you envisioned.

The test to remain is when you seem to be divided. Loyalty to Jesus is polished when the divisor is so strong to divide our hearts.

No matter what, Jesus remains.

No matter what, by His grace, be undivided.  Be a remainder. Remain there.