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"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 15:5)
I am choosing to write on topics this week that are personal and biblical. I am staying abreast of developments in our world concerning the COVID-19 Coronavirus but am focusing more this week on biblical principles to live by. I have spent much time, probably like most of you, reading all I can on this pandemic. Unfortunately, some have chosen to hoard, panic, and be driven by fear. As followers of Christ, we are not guided by fear but by faith in our great God who reigns in heaven above and on earth below. So, I hope these devotions encourage and bless you and help you focus on the Lord during these difficult days.
We spent last week in South Africa, primarily to attend our niece's wedding. Hayden is the daughter of Neil and Tricia Peterson. (Tricia is my wife Ashley's younger sister.) We felt very blessed to be able to travel to the largest continent in the world. I have been to Africa before, specifically Chad, Kenya, and Morocco, and each time was for the purpose of missions. This trip was for the express purpose of a wedding—or so I thought. God gave us many great opportunities to be the light of Christ to others.
If my devotions are a little shorter in length this week, it is because I wrote them while I was still in Africa. The power goes off pretty regularly, and when it does, the internet is down, and I am unable to research and send things to my team. So, if they are a bit shorter, you will understand why. Also, I am under a time crunch because we are moving at a pretty rapid pace! If, however, the devotions are about the same length, then you'll know I was able to get it all done after all.
While attending the rehearsal dinner for the wedding, Ashley and I walked through a beautiful vineyard literally surrounded on all sides by majestic mountains. We took some great photos and enjoyed being in nature, taking in the handiwork of our great God. Ashley pointed out how beautifully connected the branches were to the vines. As a result, there were luscious clusters of grapes dangling from nearly every branch. We talked about how Jesus's words in John 15 were so powerful. In His teaching, He used this analogy which transcends time and cultures. Take a look at the picture below:
In John 15:5, Jesus describes Himself as the vine. The vine is the most important part of the vineyard; it is the most stable, and from it flows the nutrients to the branches so they can bear fruit. Jesus teaches us that we, His followers, are the branches. Keep in mind, we are not the vine! The branch stays connected to the vine, its source of strength. If the branch somehow becomes severed from the vine, then it will die and certainly be unable to bear fruit. The fruit of the physical vine is the cluster of grapes used for eating and making wine. The fruit only appears on the branch if the branch is solidly connected to the vine. The fruit is a metaphor for the good works we do for Christ and His kingdom.
What did Jesus mean when He said we are to abide in Him and He in us. The Greek word translated "abide" is meno, and it means to remain and endure. When we trust in Jesus moment by moment, aware of His presence and power in our lives, I think that is part of what it means to abide in Christ. He abides in us by filling us with His Spirit and giving us the mind of Christ. Jesus living in and through us is the objective. As Christ abides in us and we in Him, we will naturally bear not just some fruit, but much fruit for the glory of God.
More about John 15:5 in tomorrow's devotion, but for now, focus on abiding in Christ. Rest and remain in Him. Strive to have the mind of Christ in all circumstances, and instead of reacting in selfish or frantic ways, respond to each circumstance the way Christ would respond. Can you imagine what our world would look like if we, His children, all truly abided in Christ?
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