[Jesus speaking] 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.
John 15:1-3
The backyard at this house isn't as big as the one at the old house; however, this one has pomegranates and figs and oranges and something that looks like a mandarin orange, (but tastes like a lemon). This evening, I did a little landscaping clean up and I had the illustrated sermon of this Scripture passage in front of me.
As I clipped and trimmed and shaped and removed sucker growth, I thought about God being our gardener. I wonder at His patience when we resist His tending. I wonder at His ability to see past all the unruly growth to get to the heart of who we are and then to create a clean heart in us. I wonder at His great love to remove the suckers from our lives, so that we may be pure and exhibit true, healthy growth.
And I wonder if He kicks back when the work is done, knowing He's done right by us - and for us - and waits for us to bloom exactly as He planned in the spot He has planted us or transplanted us. I wonder how long He'll have to wait...
Prayer:
Father,
Cultivate our hearts. Don't let them become stony and hard through inactivity or misuse. Regenerate and wash us with Your Word as You have promised. We want to be and do what You have planned for us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
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