Abiding in the Lord – Part 2
Main Idea:
The Nature of Our Relationship with God
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III addresses the subject of abiding in God, explaining that a person’s perseverance in the spiritual life depends on the nature and depth of their relationship with God. Some people are connected to God for the sake of personal benefit and receiving what they ask for. If God does not grant what they desire, their relationship with Him weakens, and they retreat in their spiritual life. A mature relationship, however, is a relationship of love, sacrifice, and giving, which does not depend on what a person receives from God but is founded on loving God for His own sake. The Pope presents Abraham, the father of the patriarchs, as an example of this love, for he obeyed God and offered Him everything, and his relationship with Him was founded on trust and sacrifice.
Spiritual Message: Deep Love and Abiding in God
The Pope emphasizes that God should be the purpose and goal of a person’s life, not merely a means of fulfilling desires and requests. True love places God at the center of the heart, mind, and will, and gives a person spiritual stability that is not shaken by trials and tribulations. He also explains that a superficial relationship with God does not help a person persevere, whereas a deep relationship leads to holding fast to Him and growing in love for Him day after day. He points out that loving God does not conflict with loving others; rather, our love for them should exist within our love for Christ.
Educational Lesson: Worship from the Heart, Not from Outward Appearances
The Pope explains that prayer, fasting, confession, Communion, church attendance, hymn singing, and service, despite their importance, do not fulfill their spiritual purpose if they are separated from the love of the heart. What is required is not merely performing religious duties, but transforming these practices into a genuine expression of our inner love for God. Likewise, reading the Holy Bible should not be limited to acquiring information or preparing sermons and lessons; it should lead to knowing God more deeply, increasing our love for Him, and changing our lives. The Pope refers to the biblical teaching that rejects formal worship devoid of love, explaining that God asks for a person’s heart before outward practices.
Practical Spiritual Application
The Pope calls every person to examine their relationship with God continually and ask themselves: Do I love God as I did at the beginning, or has my relationship with Him become merely a matter of habits and practices? He stresses the necessity of offering the whole heart to God, not just a part of it, so that prayer, fasting, service, and giving flow from it naturally. He also explains that true love enables a person to obey God’s commandments with trust and obedience, without turning the relationship with Him into continuous arguments about duties and limits. He concludes by emphasizing that restoring the first love and growing in deep love are the way to abide in God and avoid turning back.
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