He is the Vine and in Him, you are the Pruned Branches

Recently, Paul and I made the difficult decision to officially leave our church; a church we attended for over twenty years, a church where we joyfully served, a church where we both grew in our faith in Christ, a church that followed us from young parenthood to grandparenthood.    Only one other event in my life caused the kind of grief that I feel over this, and that was losing my mother thirteen years ago.  Losing her ended a precious chapter in my life, one that is irreplaceable.  Leaving our church has ended another precious chapter in my life.  Thankfully, we are attending a wonderful little church tucked in a neighborhood in South Minneapolis.

I have shared this heartache with Paul, of course and my Aunt Sandy.  My Aunt Sandy is one of the wisest women I know and most gifted.  Her wisdom comes from her deep and abiding love of God’s word.  This love for Him spills all over everything she touches.  God has gifted her with the ability to do just about anything when it comes to just about everything; cooking, decorating, crafting, painting, and gardening.  Sandy cooks with ease and everything she makes is delicious.  Like my grandma and mother, Sandy decorates her home for the seasons and it inspires me to do the same.  She is one of those people that can look on Pinterest and make whatever it is perfectly or even better.  She is an amazing watercolor painter.  The walls of my house are decorated with many of her paintings.  Sandy has one of the most beautiful and bountiful gardens I have ever seen.  My Uncle Ron built her lovely raised beds and if Sandy is not in her house, then you will find her tending to her garden.  So, this just gives you a little snippet into who she is.

Two evenings ago, my aunt Sandy called to tell me that she had been up early praying for me, and that the Lord had brought something to mind that she thought would encourage me knowing that I have felt discouraged.  She talked to me of pruning.  As a gardener herself, she knows about pruning.  If you are a gardener, you know that in order for a plant or tree to bear more fruit, the dead branches have to be cut off without question.  Those dead branches weigh down the fruit bearing branches.  In the same way, a gardener has to prune back some of the living and fruitful branches as well in order for the plant to bear more fruit.  When Sandy called the other evening, she brought me to a passage in scripture that talks of this, a passage that I love.

John 15:1-5 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 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. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” 

Sandy said that the Lord was lovingly pruning me by cutting off a living-fruit bearing branch  in order that my life, by His grace, could bear even more fruit.  I actually had not thought of it in those terms and it was so encouraging.  This certainly has been a painful trial, a true testing of my faith, a pruning intended for my good. Aunt Sandy, if you are reading this, thank you for pointing me to Him by pointing me to His word.  I love you!

Jesus said, “In this world, you will have tribulation. But take heart, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) 

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, said, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (I Peter 1:3-7).

Peter also said, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” (I Peter 4:12).  

James, who was the brother of Jesus, wrote, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4)

These verses show us clearly that trials are promised, should not surprise us, reveal where we our placing our hope, and are purposed to prune us to bring about more fruit.

If you belong to Him and you are in a time of trial, rejoice!  The Lord is up to good things.  If you don’t belong to Him, then today is the day.  Ask the Lord to come into your heart and you will find yourself abiding in the vine, abiding in Christ, and bearing fruit.

Blessings to you!

Heather

Here is a video demonstration of John 15:1-5.