Focusing on the key element: to Remain
Wednesday, 5th week of Easter
Acts 15:1-6; Jn 15:1-8
To be circumcised or not to be: that seemed to be the issue for most of the Jewish Christians, including a few disciples. But for persons like Paul or Barnabas or even Peter or James, it was a non issue! For them something else mattered.
Paul said that plainly when he exclaimed, 'For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything' (Gal 5:6). Then what really mattered to him, he is vociferous about that too: 'for His sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ' (Phil 3:8).
Remaining in Christ, that is what really matters. Rituals, practices, piety and devotions - all of them make sense only in relation to the proportion to which they help me remain with Christ. Even the most regular of all practices would mean nothing if it does not help me remain in Christ.
Remaining in Christ is a challenging task indeed - it may at times prove boring and monotonous and not immediate in its results - but it is the key to being disciples of Christ. Let us focus on the key element: Let us Remain in Christ.