Greetings siblings
Apologies for this late submission. I had a few challenges with waking up due to jet lag and pray it’s not going to be this late again.
Nevertheless, I invite you to join me as we reflect on our relationship with Christ. As we consider Today’s Holy Nougat, let us determine what it is that poses a challenge for us.
John 15:7 CEVDCI
[7] Stay joined to me and let my teachings become part of you. Then you can pray for whatever you want, and your prayer will be answered.
Stay Connected
Words matter. The phrase we use in conversation affects how what we say is interpreted. Despite knowing this verse well, the choice of words used in this version was revelatory. The King James Version (the major Bible translation in my early years) presents ‘stay joined’ as ‘abide’. In the New International Version, it is ‘remain’. Since the phrase is used in the context of Y’shua being the True Vine, the word abiding could be a bit confusing.
Logically, one cannot abide (live) in a vine, unless we refer to Jack and the beanstalk-sized vines. Yet, if the ‘remain’ is used, it its a bit easier for us to grasp Y’shua’s meaning. For a branch that stays (remains) in the vine is alive and might bear fruit, otherwise it is lifeless. This is what stay joined to me suggests. Although it isn’t a direct translation of the Greek menó, it makes it easier to understand. A branch is joined to a tree or a vine naturally. So we can see the connection between the vine and a branch. This is both the literal picture image and the metaphor it conveys.
Point to Ponder
Which is easier for us to understand: abide, remain, or stay joined? This is a reminder that we can use different versions of the Bible to ensure we understand what it is saying.
Application
When two things are joined together, they are connected. In fact, ‘join’ suggests that nothing can separate one from the other. In telling us therefore to remain joined to Him, our True Vine, Y’shua is saying that He wants nothing to keep us apart. We must stay connected.
This is very important when we think of what Y’shua said would happen to unfruitful, disconnected vines. He said they are useless and are thrown in the fire (see verses 2-6). But He assures us that as connected vines, there is something beyond bearing fruit to look forward to. It is the hope of answered prayer!
This connection that results in answered prayer is also dependent on us having the mind of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 2:16). That’s what it means to let Y’shua’s teaching become part of us. Y’shua taught about what was important to Him, i.e., things that were on His mind. We could say that Y’shua’s teachings help to keep us connected.
When we are fully joined to Christ, we know what is important to Him, as it becomes a part of us. So Y’shua does not yield to our desires. Rather, He is our main support. We take on His nature as His teachings become the mainstay of our existence. In knowing Y’shua’s mind, we are able to ask with the confidence that He will answer our prayers. Because, being joined to Him, what we ask of Him is aligned to our understanding of what He stands for.
Let us stay connected to Y’shua and allow His teachings to become part of who we become.
Self-Check
Are we fully joined to Christ?
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May all we seek be found in Christ
