Abide in Jesus
According to John 15, the key to bearing fruit is to abide in the vine Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
After a grape vine is pruned, vine vinedressers gently tie each vine to a trellis. The trellis is a structure that gives the vine support for the growing season ahead. By the end of the season, the trellis is vital to support branches heavy with grapes.
The pruned and tied vine takes on the shape of a cross. The cross is a symbol of humility, surrender, and obedience. The cross signifies a life shaped, not by self-will, but by God’s will. Like the vine bound to the trellis, the cross restrains us for the purpose of bearing fruit.
Intentional restraint is not punishment; it is formation. Spiritual practices become a trellis to shape us. Bible reading, prayer, journaling, fasting, Sabbath, community, solitude, generosity, witness – these practices form us.
When we feel a pull toward selfish ambition we are invited to take up the cross and follow (abide). Even though we have our own plans, we surrender to God’s plan.
Our daily, weekly, and seasonal rhythms – habits, commitments, and practices – become the framework that keep us tethered to Christ. Without a trellis, a vine grows wildly, sprawling in every direction without purpose. Likewise, without intentional spiritual practices, we risk becoming entangled in the distractions and worries of life.
That is why we abide. And we who abide bear much fruit as we trust God to shape us. Without a trellis to support our abiding, our lives sprawl. Out of control. With structure, we thrive. Like a vine, we grow best when we have the right support in place.
Here is a prompt for those of you who are using the structure of journaling: How can you form rhythms that support spiritual growth?
Spring is a great time to set up your trellis for the growing season ahead.
May the Lord be with you,
Kent Landhuis
Pastor of Teaching & Leadership
