John 15:1-3
Jesus said to his disciples:
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts away every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit. But he trims clean every branch that does produce fruit, so that it will produce even more fruit. You are already clean because of what I have said to you."
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
All of us will have times in our lives when we go through some “stuff!” You may find yourself challenged by school, work, a relationship, illness or injury, the loss of a loved one… or something else equally daunting. You may ask yourself – and God – “Why is this happening to me?” Maybe you feel that you have been a good steward of God’s gifts… a faithful servant… that you and God are “tight!” So you are wondering where you went wrong or failed as His servant… that you are being punished in some manner.
Here’s the deal… Jesus tells us in the first verses of John 15 that even those who are doing what God expects of them will be “pruned”... tested, challenged, given obstacles to overcome. And the reason is so that we will continue to grow in our faith. If we accepted Jesus Christ and began to serve Him based totally on our previous experiences, we would soon become stagnant.
You know the person who lives in the past… the one who tells the same old stories over and over and feeds on them… the person who doesn’t seem to bring anything new to the table. You probably find them pretty boring – if not obnoxious at times – and you may not want to be around them very often. This is exactly what would happen if we were not continually “trimmed” as Christians. I’m not saying God will bring bad things into our lives – or that He will necessarily allow bad things to happen to us. But He may allow us to go through a few things in order to become stronger in our faith – and to be more effective witnesses for His kingdom.
I am convinced that many of the experiences I have had – and will have in the future – can be used for God’s glory. The key question is… “Will I recognize God at work in these situations… and will I allow Him to handle the outcome for His purposes?” When you can go through something difficult and say, “God was in this… and that… and another thing…” you have allowed Him to strengthen you and grow your faith. And this is a huge part of what Christian living is all about.
So the next time you find yourself in a situation that seems difficult – or downright impossible – ask God to show you what He plans to do. Don’t ask, “Why is this happening?” Instead, ask “What are you showing me, LORD?” Because I guarantee you that God has designed an outcome that will bring glory to His name and bless you in the bargain. Your job is to recognize this when it happens. Are you asking the right questions of God? Are you a “branch” ready to be “trimmed” in His name?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label pruning the dead wood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pruning the dead wood. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for October 28, 2011
John 15:1-3
Jesus said to his disciples: I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts away every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit. But he trims clean every branch that does produce fruit, so that it will produce even more fruit. You are already clean because of what I have said to you.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Last week, I brought home an African violet that belonged to my grandmother. The plant was root bound, and she wanted me to “divide” it and repot. So I took a sharp knife and sliced through the tender violet that overflowed from the tiny flower pot. As I tugged the 2 sections from the soil, several weak stems and leaves fell away… and I discovered there were at least five full-fledged violet plants all clumped together as one.
I carefully separated these plants, found some more planters and potting soil, and created five nice planters filled with violets. As I dug in the soil, I found dozens of mushy remnants of plant fertilizer stakes. It’s no wonder this plant was so prolific and healthy… my grandmother had carefully tended and nurtured the delicate flower each and every day and fertilized it to the nth degree!
My grandmother is a tough critic – and gardener extraordinaire – so I knew I had to return two really nice violets to her after the repotting. I carefully tended the two largest plants… trimming broken and weak looking leaves and stems… watering just the right amount… and making sure the soil supported the plants themselves. My husband delivered these pots to my grandmother, and she later telephone me and told me to bring her some more fertilizer stakes!
I’ll be the first to tell you that I did not inherit my grandmother’s green thumb. I get little to no pleasure out of digging in dirt and planting things. I do well to water the hardy house plants we own. But I have seen more than a half century of evidence of her love and care for botanicals of all kinds… fruits, vegetables, and especially flowers. The attention she pays to the tiny details makes the difference. And it’s the same way with God.
We are the “vine” – God is the “Vinedresser.” In other words, we are the plants and He is the gardener… and He carefully loves and nurtures each of us. Yes… when necessary, God snips and prunes… cuts away the “dead wood”. I like to think that as much as this could mean that God cuts away those who turn away from Him… it also means that when we sin and fall short, He prunes us back… clips our wings a little and reins us in, saying, “Hey there… you need to think about this!” Often we have to repot… prune… fertilize… in order to obtain maximum growth, in life and in our gardening.
My grandmother would rather cut off her right arm than give up on a plant… and I have to believe it is very much the same for God and His children. He doesn’t want to give up on a single one of us, so He continues to nurture, prune, and fertilize us with His love, grace, mercy, and constant care. And in the end - like my grandmother’s violet with its beautiful lilac blossoms - God expects “good fruit” from us.
What sort of “vine” are you these days? Are you producing good fruit for God? Are you allowing His nurture and care of you to take effect? Are there areas of your life that could use a good cleaning and pruning? Ask God to do what is necessary to make you the perfect “plant” in His garden. Thank Him for the amazing care He gives you every single day… then go and BLOOM for Him wherever He plants you!
©2011 Debbie Robus
Jesus said to his disciples: I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts away every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit. But he trims clean every branch that does produce fruit, so that it will produce even more fruit. You are already clean because of what I have said to you.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Last week, I brought home an African violet that belonged to my grandmother. The plant was root bound, and she wanted me to “divide” it and repot. So I took a sharp knife and sliced through the tender violet that overflowed from the tiny flower pot. As I tugged the 2 sections from the soil, several weak stems and leaves fell away… and I discovered there were at least five full-fledged violet plants all clumped together as one.
I carefully separated these plants, found some more planters and potting soil, and created five nice planters filled with violets. As I dug in the soil, I found dozens of mushy remnants of plant fertilizer stakes. It’s no wonder this plant was so prolific and healthy… my grandmother had carefully tended and nurtured the delicate flower each and every day and fertilized it to the nth degree!
My grandmother is a tough critic – and gardener extraordinaire – so I knew I had to return two really nice violets to her after the repotting. I carefully tended the two largest plants… trimming broken and weak looking leaves and stems… watering just the right amount… and making sure the soil supported the plants themselves. My husband delivered these pots to my grandmother, and she later telephone me and told me to bring her some more fertilizer stakes!
I’ll be the first to tell you that I did not inherit my grandmother’s green thumb. I get little to no pleasure out of digging in dirt and planting things. I do well to water the hardy house plants we own. But I have seen more than a half century of evidence of her love and care for botanicals of all kinds… fruits, vegetables, and especially flowers. The attention she pays to the tiny details makes the difference. And it’s the same way with God.
We are the “vine” – God is the “Vinedresser.” In other words, we are the plants and He is the gardener… and He carefully loves and nurtures each of us. Yes… when necessary, God snips and prunes… cuts away the “dead wood”. I like to think that as much as this could mean that God cuts away those who turn away from Him… it also means that when we sin and fall short, He prunes us back… clips our wings a little and reins us in, saying, “Hey there… you need to think about this!” Often we have to repot… prune… fertilize… in order to obtain maximum growth, in life and in our gardening.
My grandmother would rather cut off her right arm than give up on a plant… and I have to believe it is very much the same for God and His children. He doesn’t want to give up on a single one of us, so He continues to nurture, prune, and fertilize us with His love, grace, mercy, and constant care. And in the end - like my grandmother’s violet with its beautiful lilac blossoms - God expects “good fruit” from us.
What sort of “vine” are you these days? Are you producing good fruit for God? Are you allowing His nurture and care of you to take effect? Are there areas of your life that could use a good cleaning and pruning? Ask God to do what is necessary to make you the perfect “plant” in His garden. Thank Him for the amazing care He gives you every single day… then go and BLOOM for Him wherever He plants you!
©2011 Debbie Robus
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