Day 26: The Vine and the Branches

John 14, 15, 16

I wanted to focus today’s post on what Jesus tells his disciples about the vine and the branches.  It’s such a crucial part of our faith, to understand what it means to be fruitful. Reading the first 17 verses of chapter 15 was just a captivating way of understanding the explanation of the relationship that each and every one of us have with him.

¹“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ²He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes^[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. ³You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

⁵“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. ⁷If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. ⁸This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

⁹“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. ¹⁰If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. ¹¹I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. ¹²My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ¹³Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. ¹⁴You are my friends if you do what I command. ¹⁵I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. ¹⁷This is my command: Love each other. John 15:1-17

Again, this goes to show that without Him we are nothing.  In return, all that he asks is to remain in His Word and to love each other.

Lord, we cross paths everyday, challenged by what you have instructed us to do.  Allow these words to sink deep into our hearts, so that we may live and breathe your command to us.  Let us be fruitful by remaining on the vine.  Help me to love those that cause me pain and suffering as your son was able to. Thank you for allowing me to trust in You. Amen.

Day 15: Wise Words

Day 15: Luke 3, 4, 5

I realize more and more, how much I can learn from just reading His word everyday.  His words are so comforting to read – it reminds me that my faith waivers.

⁸Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. ⁹The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” Luke 3:8-9

These verses remind me what is truly at stake.

When I doubt my salvation and consider myself to be so unworthy, I hope to recall how Jesus responded to the Pharisees and the teachers on those considered as such.

³¹Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. ³²I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:31-32

Dear Heavenly Father: I ask that as I continue to develop this relationship with you, that my heart will be protected from all things that may attack me.  Please help me to come to you in all things of my life, the good and the bad. Please help me to trust. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.