Lent 2021, Day 7: Be.

Today’s devotion from Forward Day by Day is moving:

John 15:9 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.

Abide is a seldom-used word. In most contexts, it means to live or stay or remain. How can we remain in Christ’s love?

One simple approach is to sit comfortably, close your eyes, and slowly and prayerfully repeat these words from Psalm 46:10 like this:

Be still and know that I am God
Be still and know that I am
Be still and know
Be still
Be

If you pray in this way, you will find you have created space to abide in love. The peace you feel can remain with you throughout your day.

Abide seems to imply a certain inevitability, a permanence. We are invited to abide in Christ’s love—something that can be counted on to remain. The classic hymn “Abide With Me” puts it this way, “O thou who changest not, abide with me.”

• Read Psalm 46.
• Spend time meditating on “Be still, and know that I am God.”