“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. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.”
God is obsessed to entirely have us and abide in us but He cannot dwell in what is not of Him.
He has to assess in us what we have already chosen and therefore make right what we are still oblivious to.
We may have walked a life devoted to Him but of not being fully developed by Him.
Our throne may have Him present because of His grace but He may not dwell in that throne.
In measuring, weighing and assessing us He may be shaking and shedding so that what He has and possesses is pure. Excess we have gathered along the way playing out as poor attitudes, offence taking grudges, prideful conceits need stripping.
“Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away‘’
We have a tendency to think we are there and ok but He knows where we aren’t and where there is more. Surrendering and realising what is of worth is from Him not us.
‘’and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.’’
Knowing Christ is a relationship of love and a narrow better way but the reality is that there is pain in the journey too.
Jesus modelled the sweating blood and tears in Gethsemane. The silent humiliation of the accusation and cross. The loss of all earthly wealth.
Sometimes our instincts have been right but our actions wrong as Peter displayed at the transfiguration.
We do as we have become by our experience and have no concept of what God’s new growth may entail. We miss the new if we don’t submit to His creativity which takes us beyond our experience and what we know.
Words that tether us to ‘’well it’s our tradition to …..‘’ don’t make room for a new birth and all it’s potential.
We may progress in opposition to God’s will because we are too busy sticking to our will being done. God does not want us to remain trapped and tethered.
Sometimes standing on our forebearer’s shoulders and honouring them has us stuck.
When we root our identity in something other than God we can become tethered in it. Traditions can nullify the power of God.
We must not create God in our image it is always listening to The Holy Spirit and allowing ourselves to move and be identified in His image.
Wait upon and make space for Him to be present and act creatively beyond our blind spots.
The illustration shows Christ as the branch with fruit, on the branches that are abiding in Him, emanating light that pushes back the darkness.
One Scriptures that come to mind:
“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. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.” John 15:2-6 ESV
The song Tend. Emmy Rose
Lessisgreater 