"He began with absolute surrender of His life for us. He can ask nothing less from us. This alone is a life in His friendship. This truth of the imperative necessity of obedience, doing all that Christ commands us, has not the place in our Christian teaching and living that Christ meant it to have. ...The secret thought that it is impossible to do the things He commands us, and that therefore it cannot be expected of us, and subtle and unconscious feeling that sinning is a necessity have frequently robbed both precepts and promises of their power....Surely our Lord ask nothing less than that we heartily and truthfully say: 'Yea Lord, what You command, that will I do.' These commands are to be done as a proof of friendship. The power to do them rests entirely in the personal relationship to Jesus." - Murray
It seems that the Lord's commands
to abide and obey
do seem like they are unattainable
...therefore why try?
The point and very aim of scripture is to point us to this fact:
we can't do it.
I can't do it.
I cannot abide.
I cannot obey.
I need to be brought low to be lifted up.
As I humble my heart and admit that I can't,
Jesus lifts my chin and meets my eyes and says,
"With God all things are possible."
So that it s the theme:
you can't, but He can!
Jesus is the enabler and strength we need to abide and obey.