We have a tendency to draw our strength from the Lord, and then think that we are “good to go” on our own for a while. We have parched our thirst, and are like a well-watered tree. “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.’” (Jer. 17:5-8)

That “tendency” is deception from the enemy. We must remain in Him; to abide in Him. “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:4-5)

Abide means to “await,” “remain,” “lodge,” “sojourn,” “dwell,” “continue,” and “endure”. We must stay on the vine–abide in Him–to draw both our nourishment and our strength. “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him, ‘If you abide in my Word, you are truly my disciples'” (John 8:31). 

While we may think there are many “more pressing” things to occupy our time (again deception), Jesus plainly tells us that we are His disciples IF we abide in His Word. We must meditate on His Word, hide it in our hearts, and keep our thoughts on things above. This world we walk through is temporary. Whatever it is that is distracting us, from time in the Word and in prayer where we ask the Lord to show us how to apply it to our lives, we are putting it before Him. When we do that, we show our heavenly Father where our priorities lie.

In order for us to be like a well-watered tree with strong roots, we must stay close and abide in the living water that only Jesus can provide. Without strong roots, we will “be like a bush in the wastelands” and “will dwell in the parched places of the desert” (Jer. 17:6). If you find yourself parched today, I encourage you to hurry back to The Vine, our Lord Jesus Christ. Because apart from Him, we can do nothing!