The Living God - The Vine

The Vine

Chatting with a friend on a dock in the middle of a Michigan Park about allowing God to prune us. Being humbled and inviting the spirit to bring anything to the table that we need to offer up. Anything that we put before the Lord, anything that we put before serving others (living a missional life), any sort of idols or things we need to confess. I was reading John 15-16 and found Jesus speaking about being the vine and pruning the branches.

Allowing the Spirit to move on those things in our hearts and bring up to the table to meet the cleaver. But really viewing God’s role in pruning the vine. Speaking to someone who’s family has been into gardening for some time. Pruning the vines is an attempt to help the good branches to continue to grow.

A good branch will bear much fruit, but a good branch also needs to be pruned (in order to do so).

How do we invite God to do pruning in our lives. Moving in and out of seasons of pruning.

But also the imagery that Jesus is using when he shares this. This seems similar to Genesis language – living God language!

Jesus is the vine means that he provides life to the branches. Think about how a vine brings nutrients to the branches; (filtering them and providing for the well being and benefit of the branches).

Therefore the cutting off of branches or the pruning of the good branches means a cutting off from God, because God cannot be in the presence of things that are not Holy (Oden). The act of pruning the branches in an act of love, because the vine wants the best for the branches in order that they will bear much fruit. (Living a missiological life under the authority and sustainability of the living God.).

So ultimately, life exists in the vine and in the vine alone.

June 26, 2022 – Heritage Park, Grandville MI. Conversation with Azariah