Scripture Verses
John 15:1-17 (NIV)
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.
Devotion
I grew up in the country where we had a large garden. When I say large, I mean it was HUGE. It was too big in my opinion. Each summer, my dad had my brother, sister, and I plant seeds, pull weeds, water and generally help maintain the garden. At our young ages, we didn’t really see the fun in these activities. I remember thinking, how many times can you pick strawberries? Does a family need this many rows of corn? And this has got to be the longest row of green beans on earth. My dad’s gardens always produced abundantly.
It’s just like God to use symbolism that many of us can relate to. Our Father, God, the gardener, tends to us and provides for our needs. Always. Whether or not we like it, sometimes we need “pruned.” Through adversity, whether it is a small thing or a huge obstacle, God knows our needs and brings us closer to Him through this pruning. And, it’s all for His glory.
Although I resented having to work in the garden as a child, I learned a great deal. I can tell you now that it is, without a doubt, one of the greatest joys in my life. For the last two years I have had a garden. In my garden, I talk to God with the sun on my face. In my garden, I get my hands dirty in the Earth that He made. In my garden, I watch in amazement as plants grow and bloom.
In verse 15 we learn that Jesus calls us friends, not servants, because everything he learned from his Father, he has made known to us. What a privilege we have in this knowledge.
I am grateful that my dad taught me all he knew about gardening. I still call him when I have a question, and he is always willing to help me just like our Heavenly Father is if we just ask.
As my own children work in the garden, it is time to plant more seeds. And you know, they don’t always think it is fun. But with God’s grace, careful tending, and the knowledge of Jesus Christ, someday they may feel differently...
Prayer
Dear Lord, thank you for your loving and tender care each and every day. Help us to realize that sometimes we need pruned so that we can bear more fruit in the name of your son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
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