Gardening is quite the adventure I have grown so fondly of over the past few summers. What started as seeing my Grandfather proudly look at his zucchini, squash, and other various vegetable assortments eventually became a rush of excitement when new fruit appeared in my own garden and tremendously looking forward to the peace of tending to it each day. Being away for a weekend and watching a cucumber plant triple in size from unexpected rain brought so much joy and rest. As the growing season continues and more and more fruit and herbs are harvested, my heart is ever so turned toward the Father- who tends the garden of my heart.
'“I am the true Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser.” John 15:1
Jesus speaking, is the Vine. He is the One we are connected to, the One we are dependent on, and the One through which our growth occurs.
Another strangely beautiful aspect of gardening is surprisingly enough… pruning. Trimming off the branches that could very much become sturdy and fruitful seems to make no sense. During my first ever summer garden season I grossly neglected pruning. I just couldn’t let any potential harvest be wasted! Then by the end of that summer, my cucumber plant was entirely dead, my tomatoes were overgrown and incredibly hard to manage, and I found myself being too angered by the results that I gave up watering it altogether (was a time lol). This garden season has been my most effective pruning season ever. When I see little tiny suckers growing on a tomato plant, I trim them off. When my peppers reach a certain height any leaves below a few inches are cut off. When my cucumbers are growing too low to the ground but could still grow, I trim away.
(Two weeks of growth between these pictures from my home garden!)
“Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.“John 15:2
Jesus makes it clear that every branch is pruned so that it may bear more fruit.
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the Vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. ' John 15:4-5
Without abiding or resting in who Jesus is and what He completed on the cross- no fruit can be borne. Resting in Him is the essence of how we function as believers. It’s how we see His kingdom come on the earth. With the help and power of the Holy Spirit enabling us to remain in Christ, His glory can be revealed. Bearing fruit is not about our skills or abilities. It’s about His beauty in choosing us to be vessels of His love.
'If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.' John 15:7-8
Abiding in Jesus is about glorifying the Father. He gives perfect peace, He gives us authority in His name, and uses our lives to bear beautiful flowers that lead to fruit that leads to seeds scattered all over the earth! I was in a conversation with my cousin a few weeks ago about fruits vs vegetables. Fruit comes from the flowering part of the plant and has SEEDS. Vegetables are the edible extra parts of the plants. For fruit to come from a branch, it must blossom first. In our lives God consistently is blossoming beautiful things that He is nurturing to bear fruit for His kingdom. He also can blossom beautiful things we love, then prune them to produce the best fruit for His kingdom. He can’t prune a nonexistent branch. We must grow in Him by remaining in Him.
What a privilege it is to be close enough to Jesus to bear His fruit :’). Prayers that you see the beauty of intimacy with Him today,
~ Kate :)
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