[h=3]The Vine and the Branches[/h]
Jesus said, "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. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain 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.
I am the vine and 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."
When I think about what it is like to be a branch on a vine I get these thoughts.
- as a branch I can bear fruit BUT the fruit is produced through me not by any great feat of my own.
- as a branch I am sustained by the vine to which I am attached.
- as a branch I am part of the vine.
- fruit glorifies the vine, it shows forth the glory of the vine.
- The life of the branch is dependent on the life flowing from the vine.
Thinking further on these thoughts I get a sense of humility in realising that I have absolutely nothing to do with the producing of the fruit but that I am a vessel through which God can produce fruit. And I am also thinking how the manifestation of that fruit in us glorifies God. I feel a response in me to thinking on this of gratefulness, thankfulness for God's graceful hand bestowed upon me.
...and I feel fed.
Jesus said, "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. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain 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.
I am the vine and 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."
When I think about what it is like to be a branch on a vine I get these thoughts.
- as a branch I can bear fruit BUT the fruit is produced through me not by any great feat of my own.
- as a branch I am sustained by the vine to which I am attached.
- as a branch I am part of the vine.
- fruit glorifies the vine, it shows forth the glory of the vine.
- The life of the branch is dependent on the life flowing from the vine.
Thinking further on these thoughts I get a sense of humility in realising that I have absolutely nothing to do with the producing of the fruit but that I am a vessel through which God can produce fruit. And I am also thinking how the manifestation of that fruit in us glorifies God. I feel a response in me to thinking on this of gratefulness, thankfulness for God's graceful hand bestowed upon me.
...and I feel fed.