Stepping into the sunshine, my husband and I set out on a walk in the cool of morning. It had been weeks since we’d had a free Saturday to spend an hour outside together. The brisk air spurred us on as we passed cozy homes in our neighborhood. Many displayed rustic Adirondack chairs with colorful pillows that begged for someone to sit down and enjoy them. Turning to my husband I asked, “How many of these chairs do you think people actually use?” Smiling, he gently turned the question on me, “When was the last time we sat on our porch together?” Sadly, I couldn’t remember.
I thought back to times we’d enjoyed in the past, lounging on the benches with a cup of tea in the morning sun or sharing a meal with our boys on a warm evening. We hadn’t done that in a long time and there was only one reason: we’d let busyness rob us of this simple pleasure.
As I thought more about it, I realized that my “to do” list over the last few weeks had caused me to be distracted and disengaged from my husband and kids. Even when I was physically present with them, my mind was somewhere else. Realizing this turned my thoughts to a concept I’ve been learning about in First, Second and Third John:
“The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.” (1 John 3:24,NIV)
The word “lives,” used twice in this verse, translates from the Greek word, “meno.” It means: “to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy) to abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand or tarry.” (James Strong, Dictionary of the Greek New Testament)
The part of the definition that catches my attention is the phrase “be present.” Over the course of studying these books, I’ve been learning the importance of being present in my walk with God– of living intentionally engaged with him by his Spirit so that I can let his love fill me. When I do this consistently, his love ultimately overflows from me and affects those around me. John explains this reciprocal process: As we are present with God and remain in his love, his love continues to dwell in us.
“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives [meno] in love lives [meno] in God, and God in them.” (1 John 4:16, NIV)
In this passage John echoes a concept he learned from Jesus, who told the disciples:
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain [meno] in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, NIV)
I’m realizing anew that remaining in Christ requires that I fix my mind on him intentionally and continuously. We aren’t accessing his power when we live on autopilot, doing things out of habit without truly engaging him. Being present and intentional requires relying on the Holy Spirit to guide us throughout every day. There is no other way we can live in obedience to Christ and walk as he did. Apart from him, we can do nothing of lasting value.
This brings me to a related passage of Scripture written by the apostle Paul:
“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3, NIV)
If God is love (and 1 John 4:16 tells us he is), then this passage emphasizes that even the good or spiritual things we do are worthless unless God is in them. Again, this reminds me that all that we do requires intentional engagement—even actions that seem positive on the surface aren’t worth a thing if God isn’t in them with us. We must be present [meno] with him so that he can work in and through us.
I’ll be thinking about the word “meno” for a long time. The benches on my front porch will be a daily reminder to be intentionally engaged in each moment with God. Only then can I be fully present with my family and others so that he can bless them through me.
I couldn’t resist including a song with an English translation of my new favorite word, “meno”, in the title. Click on the link to enjoy a worship moment with Kristian Stanfill’s rendition of “One Thing Remains.”