Pruning Pains or More Fruit?

Pruning Pains or More Fruit?

"Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit" (John 15:2).


As I read this devotion today I was reminded of the many farming and gardening process that go on each day on this land as well as the farming experiences in my own life as a boy growing up in South Dakota. My grandfather had a large farm and there were many similar questions formed in my mind about livestock and crops that needed tending each day.


As I came to understand who God was and turned my life over to His care, I quickly saw the correlation between the two. Jesus taught about those processes and used many examples of earthly things related to heavenly truths.


We have been going through many pruning processes here this past few month. An intense cutting back and pruning of this church in regard to producing more fruit. And that is what I want to bring to this post. It is painful to experience the pruning process but the result of all that pruning and chopping and cutting and pain is "more fruit"!


And isn't that what we want to achieve anyway? Don't we want to be productive instruments of God? Fruit bearing and good for consumption to bring health and healing to those who are hungry and sick? If we can bear up under the pain and allow God to do His pruning we will bear the fruit He has intended for us to bear.


He is the Vine, we are the branches.


If we will submit our lives to Him and allow Him to us us for what we were created for, we will bear fruit! Not because we have done anything special. We are branches. Branches don't strain and grunt their way into producing fruit. Branches abide in a vital attachment to the Vine. They let the life flowing energy of the Vine to pass through them and into the fruit that they were created to produce. 


Every branch has it's purpose and every vine gives the branches the life it needs. The branch is the vessel for the production of the fruit. The direct result of the life force of the vine flowing into and out of the branch. It takes submission to the Vine to be the attachment for the production of the fruit.


So my friends, take heart that the Root of the Vine and the Husbandman of the Vine and the Branches are fulfilling the purpose intended to produce the fruit. It is such a joy to be the branch and allow the fruit to grow out from us! God is in control of what happens and knows how to grow the fruit. The pruning is necessary and yes, it hurts a little, but not as much as being completely cut off and thrown into the fire.


So, let it grow, let it grow, let it grow!


Oh, sorry. I was thinking of another song we sing in the wintertime. That's a whole 'nother post.