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Life In The Vine
Being in the Vine is as important as the air we breathe. There are many events in our lives to help us understand what God wants of us. One of the scriptures that have impacted my life is in The Gospel of John.
1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.“ John 15:1-2 (NKJ)
These are the words of Jesus to His disciples. Most of us know a little about the care of vines and can understand that if you remove fruitless branches, the fruitful ones will produce even more.
The truth from scripture was brought to Carol Fleming’s mind when she walked with a forester in a pear orchard many years ago. She wrote the following.
THE TREE
A long time forester and I surveyed the shimmering acres of flowering pear trees
together.
I oohed and aahed at their springtime loveliness.
He was silent.
At last he said, “That one is struggling. Don’t you see how small an area it has for it’s root system? And look at those bare branches. Yup, she’s struggling. It’s as if you can hear her.”
I looked at him in shock. I hadn’t seen any of that. —
And then, I thought of all the people living near on those same acres – and surrounding miles.
Were they seemingly doing fine, to uncaring, unheeding eyes?
Those who care enough and pray enough and look beneath the surface with loving hearts, truly see. May we see the struggle and pain and bare fruitless areas in the lives of those in need.
The tree could be helped if enough cared to put solutions into action.
There are lives that exist without roots in Christ, the Living Vine, and without producing fruit.
This, oh this, we fellow Christians could help.
If only we step out of ourselves – and into the fields of harvest.
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…”Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved….” Acts 16:31
Abiding in Jesus
We must share the message of faith in Jesus Christ with those who are lost. Often we see those who are struggling in our daily lives. Like the forester, we can see when lives are in danger and need loving care to survive.
Even within the church, we see those who are just there but not producing any fruit. So it is worth our time and effort to help them come into a fuller life in Jesus.
God gave us the church so we could strengthen each other and become more productive. The key is, as always, for us to abide in Jesus.
Jesus tells us to,”4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:4-5 (NKJ)
To be fruitful in our lives, we must abide in Jesus. We can not do the things of the Kingdom in our own power. We must have the words of Jesus in our minds and the Holy Spirit in our hearts.