Devotion Corner

John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

These words are given by the Lord Jesus not long before the commencement of the first Easter weekend. The last of the seven “I am” statements uttered by Christ; we hear a tender but profound reaffirming of His claim to deity. This affirmation given to strengthen the faith of others, before the hour of His great suffering. 

Jesus declares Himself the true vine, He who supplies all the needs of those who believe on Him. This is much like the vine that supplies all the needs of the branch, so that fruit may come forth. Where a branch becomes detached from the vine, it quickly withers and dies, bearing no fruit. And so, we can find ourselves withering in strength of faith, becoming filled with doubt, worry and anxiety, when we come away from the true vine that is Christ Jesus. Yet if we simply remain attached to Christ Jesus in devotion of faith, like a healthy, fruit bearing branch is only so because it remains attached to the vine, then we shall be strong and not wither in faith. 

To remain in Christ Jesus, or ‘abide’ in Him, is to cultivate our relationship with Him. As with any relationship, it grows and becomes ever more beautiful when time and attention is given to it. We grow in relationship with Christ by reading His Word daily, praying at every opportunity, and obeying His written commands. When we do this, we are ‘abiding’ or dwelling in Him, and we are strengthened by His gracious provision like the vine supplies the needs of the branch. Then the fruits of our faith will grow without straining, like grapes grow without straining to make themselves grow. 

These fruits of our faith will reflect the strength of the vine that supplies our needs. The fruits our lives will bear will grow freely, and the sweetness of their harvest will draw praise to our Heavenly Father. This is like the praise and glory a farmer or vineyard owner receives for the quality of produce their crops have yielded. 

Let’s seek to remain firmly attached to the true vine that is Jesus Christ. Let’s seek to cultivate our relationship with Him every day, so that the fruit we bear in our lives will grow without strain or stress. Then the sweetness of those fruits will declare to all, that God is the one who has made such wonderful things grow amidst the thorns and thistles of this mortal life. His grace will be witnessed through the fruits of our lives, and thereby His name will be exalted. Amen.