Abiding in Christ

I sent these two passages to friends during exam period, but thought they deserve a wider audience. The first is from Andrew Murray's book Abide in Christ, the second is from Deuteronomy. Andrew Murray was a preacher in South Africa who lived from 1828 to 1917 and wrote various books on the Christian life. Some of his books can be accessed online at CCEL. Abiding in Christ is an area I really need to learn more about, probably more in my own experience, under the authority of Scripture, than from books, but, having not read all of Murray's book (31 meditations on John 15:1-12), it seems that at least some of it may be helpful. Anyway, here goes:

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The thought of living moment by moment is of such central importance - looking at the abiding in Christ from our side - that we want once more to speak of it. And to all who desire to learn the blessed art of living only a moment at a time, we want to say: The way to learn it is to exercise yourself in living in the present moment. Each time your attention is free to occupy itself with the thought of Jesus - whether it be with time to think and pray, or only for a few passing seconds - let your first thought be to say: Now, at this moment, I do abide in Jesus. Use such time, not in vain regrets that you have not been abiding fully, or still more hurtful fears that you will not be able to abide, but just at once take the position the Father has given you: "I am in Christ; this is the place God has given me. I accept it; here I rest; I do now abide in Jesus." This is the way to learn to abide continually. You may be yet so feeble as to fear to say of each day, "I am abiding in Jesus"; but the feeblest can, each single moment, say, as he consents to occupy his place as a branch in the vine, "Yes, I do abide in Christ." It is not a matter of feeling - it is not a question of growth or strength in the Christian life - it is the simple question whether the will at the present moment desires and consents to recognise the place you have in your Lord, and to accept it. If you are a believer, you are in Christ. If you are in Christ, and wish to stay there, it is your duty to say, though it be but for a moment, "Blessed Saviour, I abide in Thee now; Thou keepest me now."

(Andrew Murray, Abide in Christ (London: Lakeland, 1968 ed.), pp.87-8)

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Then I said to you, "Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. The LORD your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, and in the desert. There you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place."

(Deuteronomy 1:29-31)