I grouped these 2 chapters together because they are essentially one long message from Jesus that all pretty well fits together.  And as I am reading this, right in the middle is the part that jumps out at me, right there in chapter 15.  In chapter 15, we see Jesus use the word abide 8 different times if I have counted correctly.  He is creating a very clear message for the disciples.  Now, we are still in this setting where Jesus has washed their feet and is now sitting with them at the table, presumably eating, and they are discussing what’s to come.  Judas has been revealed and has already fled the scene...now Jesus gets into some of the ‘mushy’ stuff where He is talking about how He and God are one, He is using a lot of figurative language and this was probably all very confusing to the disciples at the time because Jesus was alluding to His death and the disciples really didn’t get what was coming.  Looking back, what Jesus is saying makes sense...in the moment, it probably sounded a little fanatical.  Nonetheless, He is teaching them that they need to abide in His teaching and rest in the truth of His words.  This is the same ‘abide’ word that He used in chapter 8 when He said that they needed to abide in His teaching in order to be His disciples, and that in doing so they would see the truth...one of my favorite teachings.

For me, the context of this teaching is what is so important.  He is really pressing in on this point hard for them, that they need to trust in Him, abide in Him, rest in the reality of what He has taught, because Jesus knows that things are about to get crazy.  Jesus knows that they need to really lean into what has been taught because everything that they had grown comfortable with as a group of Jesus-followers was about the change...everything EXCEPT the words He had given them.  I think we could almost view this as a pep talk before the main event.

The reason this sticks out to me is because I know from personal experience that the moments I really find challenging in life are the moments when I really find out who is in charge of my life.  When things get hard, I can either look up or look in...look up for God’s Grace and guidance, or look inward and try to cling to my own sense of control.  I also know that the times when I have looked up have been more fruitful than the times I have looked in...but because of my sinful nature, looking in is often my natural inclination.

So, today God reminds me to let go and let God, to be thankful that He is in control, and to be thankful that He has invited me to let Him drive the train.  Today I am reminded that life is better when God is in the driver’s seat, and I will look to rest in that truth today.