John 15:1-2
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off 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.
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off 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.
Branchy green suckers sprouted off the roots of the crabapple
tree in our backyard. The miniature forest, which popped up around the trunk,
stole nutrition and water that the tree’s blooms needed in order to blossom.
Other trees in the neighborhood bore pink and white flowers, while my tree
struggled to stay green. Because I wanted my tree to flower, too, I took the
clippers and pruned away the extra growth. I think I heard the tree sigh with
relief. Within a few days, white buds burst into bloom.
In John 15, Jesus reminds me that He is the true vine and
God even cut the fruitless branches from him. As a believer in Christ, I’m one
of the Father’s vines, too. Sometimes, out of fear of change, laziness, or
habit I spin my wheels and stay in a rut that keeps me from following God’s will. It’s not easy to change behavior, step away
from a situation or move in a new direction. But there are times that God redirects
my path and asks me to change what I’m doing in order to serve him better and
produce more fruit. Jesus knew that God expected him to die on the cross, but he
also embraced the promise to bring him to life and take him to heaven. Along
with God’s pruning comes the promise of life with Him in heaven.
What change has God asked you to make for him?
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