Are Your Branches Being Pruned?

Prayer – Lord, I trimmed our grape vines recently…and was reminded that You are the true grapevine…I am only a branch. Fruit is forming…but is not fully grown or ripe yet. The harvest of those grapes is still over a month or more away. Help me to grow in the fruit of the Spirit with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I want to be fruitful…and useful to You—today and throughout eternity. 

Grape vine, branches, and grapes.
Are you producing fruit?

I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:1-5

 

Meditate. Have you eaten any fresh grapes lately?

 

Have you ever watched grapes grow? Have you picked them when they were ripe—eating those tasty grapes while they were still warm from the late summer sunshine? What could be better?

 

We have terrific neighbors who several years ago planted a couple of grape vines along the fence that separates our yards. The grapes that grow on our side of the fence are ours to enjoy…and we do! I love watching for the tiny blossoms that sprout early in the spring…and the leaves that grow to monstrous sizes covering and hiding the grapes so you have to peek around to see them. Right now, they are all green—so they blend right in.

 

Tendrils - gripping their neighboring tendrils.

People in Jesus’ time were familiar with grapes—growing them, eating them, and using them for making wine. He told His disciples that He was the grapevine. He gave strength to the plant—He didn’t produce the fruit—that grew on the branches. We—like Jesus’ declaration to the Disciples—are the branches. If we’re faithful and produce fruit—we won’t be cut off or trimmed away. My grapevines have to be trimmed back or we just cannot mow the grass next to the fence. I only trim the vines that are hanging down to the ground and that don’t have any grapes growing on them. Part of the trimming process includes cutting back branches that have tendrils hanging onto other branches. Those tendrils are just gripping the close branches reminding me of clingy people who just don’t want to let go of others. They’ve no real purpose of their own—but they intertwine their lives with others. No fruit—just twisted hooks of shoots entwining around others—seeking a purpose through the growth of those close by. Cut them off. They are of no use to me…or Jesus. Put the water and energy into the fruit instead. That is really the purpose in the trimming. Who wants to waste water or resources on something that is not producing fruit? Those branches that are cut off will never produce fruit.

 

Jesus challenged those listening to Him to remain in Him. Are you listening? Have you made a choice to do that today?

 

Verses of Salvation ~ I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God. Philippians 1:9-11

 

© 2024 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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