keep

[keep me abiding in You, that i would bear fruit.]

::full attention:: by jeremy riddle

i fell in love this song a couple of weeks ago
and i was delighted to find it yesterday among a collection of cd's sent to me from st. louis...
the word "abide" triggered distinct memories of 5th street.
morning prayer with some of the dearest friends,
a sweet little girl whose name derives directly from john 15,
worship, conversations, community.
a number of recent, small happenings have directed my attention similarly
jordan and charis' plans for kc,
dietrich bonhoeffer's life and purpose,
brandon and gabe's pictures in ibiza...

::full attention::
  
may Your voice be louder
may Your voice be clearer
than all the others
than all the others

may Your face be dearer
may Your words be sweeter
than all the others
than all the others in my life

please keep my eyes fixed on You
please root my heart so deep in You
keep me abiding, keep me abiding
keep me abiding that i,

that i would bear fruit

may Your your presence be truer
may Your presence be nearer
than all the others
than all the others

and may Your light shine brighter
and may Your love move deeper
than all the others
than all the others in my life

please keep these eyes fixed on You
please root my heart so deep in You
keep me asking, Lord, keep me kneeling
keep me abiding that i,
that i would bear fruit

john 15.1-8
i am the true vine, and my father is the gardener.
he cuts of every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
you are already clean because of the word i have spoken to you.
remain in me and i will remain in you.
no branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
i am the vine, you are the branches.
if a man remains in me and i in him, he will bear much fruit. 

apart from Me [tammy] can do nothing.

if anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
if you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given to you. this is to my father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.