As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.
John 15:9
I love the imagery Jesus uses throughout the Gospels! In particular I have been thinking of Jesus referring to Himself as the vine, and His people as the fruit. I have been contemplating how as fruit we do nothing, but bloom and blossom. We cannot become fruit of our own doing, we cannot choose to bloom, it is the Vine that produces fruit!
Me and I can guess WE often focus on what we can do to abide and remain in Christ. We focus on our duty and actions, yet we fail to look to the vine. We fail to realize that remaining and abiding is a work of the vine. Once the fruit has ripened it falls off the vine, that is not the fruits doing but the vines! Be of good cheer, we are not attached to a vine that is weak and dying, as believers we are trusting in an eternal hope that promises to bear fruit!
Take heart in these promises,
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10
Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit
John 15:2
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:6
thoughts are from my meditation on John 15 and day 20 of Comforts from the Cross by Elyse M. Fitzpatrick
1 comment:
"Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit"
John 15:2
Yes, I needed to hear that today!
You know, I have often cringed when we've pruned our blackberry bush before the next fruiting season. But it is ABSOLUTELY necessary. If the gardener doesn't prune off the brances that have matured and spent their fruit, the plant will not reach its full potential that next season.
Our finished plants will be so much more for the sufferings and prunings we endure now!
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