I Am The Vine by Jason Ling

John 15:5 “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.”

A few years back I planted some roses in my my yard. They were the ones with the little bitty stem and a couple of branches sticking out. Not sure how it survived the first few years. It was all I could do just to keep it alive. With time, water and fertilizer this plant has really taken off this year. Without the healthy stem, growth was slow with only a few flowers. This year I expect quite a display as it's grown so much.

I think this is also true with me. When I was younger I didn’t have that healthy stem or root system and didn’t bloom, so to speak. As I've allowed God to become that stem and center of my life I find He allows me to bloom and flourish way beyond what I could have imagined. Don’t get me wrong, He still has plenty of pruning to do in my life, but I know I would wither and die without God feeding me, his lowly branch.

So, what’s feeding your branches? Are you allowing God to be the stem that supports your wonderful structure? Are you allowing God to work his good will in your life?

Dear Lord, I pray that all of us can abide in and trust that we will be fed from your vine and we will bear fruit if we simply put our trust and hope in you. We can do nothing without you, Amen.