Abide and Thrive

In 1 John 2:3-11, we are given a very high standard, to "live our lives as Jesus did."  This can be very intimidating.  Often, we can respond to a high calling like this by working harder and doing more, but this often backfires on us, resulting in burn out, failure, and guilt.  The secret to living the way that Jesus did is to live in close fellowship with the Father.  Jesus modeled communion with the Father and then encouraged his followers to do the same in one of the major themes of the Gospel of John and the letter of 1 John.  To live like Jesus did, we must first abide in Him.  If we learn to rest and abide, we can thrive.