i am the vine. you are the branches. j15.5
[The believer's] union with his Lord is no work of human wisdom or human will, but an act of God, by which the closest and most complete life-union possible is forged between the Son of God and the sinner. "God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts" (Gal 4:6). The same Spirit that dwelt and still dwells in the Son becomes the life of the believer; in the unity of that one Spirit, and the fellowship of the same life that is in Christ, he is one with Him. As between the vine and branch, it is a life-union that makes them one.
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"Think, believer, how completely I belong to you. I have joined myself inseparably to you; all the fullness and fatness of the Vine are yours. It is My desire and My honour to make you a fruitful branch; only abide in Me. You are weak, but I am strong; you are poor, but I am rich. Only abide in Me; yield yourself wholly to My teaching and rule; simply trust My love, My grace, and My promises."
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On my part, abiding is nothing but the acceptance of my position, the consent to be kept there, the surrender of faith to the strong Vine to hold the frail branch.
O Saviour, how unspeakable is your love!
(A. Murray, 'Abiding in Christ', p. 33)
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