(Oops, ouch, ugh,um...)...He’s Pruning Me

It’s been a while I posted…. I know!

 No excuses, just been caught up in a lot of activities.  God has been good all the same. It’s very imperative I leave us with these few lines to ruminate over as we shut down from work for the weekend.

John 15: 1- I (Jesus) am the true vine, and My Father is the vine dresser.  2 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. 

I will like to rearrange the passage in my own words and it goes thus:  

 I (insert your name) am a branch (a part of a tree that grows out from the main stem; that has leaves, fruit, or smaller branches growing from it). I am a multi-dimensional being created in the image and likeness of God to show forth the praises of Him who has created me for His glory.  I am not just a branch, but I've got smaller branches, I've got leaves, I bear Fruits all to His glory. Jesus is the Vine (My source of supply of nutrients) and God is the Vine dresser (a person who prunes, tends, or cultivates grapevines).

This passage of the scripture highlights a three-dimensional relationship amongst God the Father, Jesus and I as an individual with everyone having a part to play. The moral of this analogy by Jesus can be summed up into Four Fs'

1.     FEED FROM HIM: He expects us to derive our nourishment from Him (through His word and constant fellowship with Him).  A branch that is cut off from a tree would soon wither away.  John 15:6 “ If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned”

 2.     FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM: You Fellowship with Him by being with Him on a continual basis. .John 15:3 says “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”

  3.     FRUITFUL IN HIM: Bringing forth fruits; which is the whole essence of our being,  is to multiply the gifts and talents He has given us,  grow in  His knowledge and grace and reach out to others in the same way He has reached out to us.

  4.     FIXED BY HIM (To fix is to repair something that is broken or not working properly).God prunes, corrects, and fits us. We are in a fixing process continually. God seeks to fix us each time we go out of line so we can become better people.

  Studies show that pruning entails cutting off some of the branches of a tree to make it grow better or to make something smaller by removing parts that you do not need or want.   Pruning is the most common tree maintenance procedure and the reasons for pruning are to remove dead branches, crowded or rubbing limbs, and to eliminate hazards. Trees and plants may also be pruned to increase light and air penetration to the inside of the tree’s crown or to the landscape below. In most cases, mature trees are pruned as a corrective or preventive measure.

The slight discomfort and challenges we face every day and especially in the Christian race are indicators that God is pruning us so we can bring forth more fruits. If we don’t experience some of these challenges, shakings and inconveniences, then chances are we are not bearing fruits and we might as well be cast away.

Hebrews 12:6-12 (Message Version)

 6. It’s the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects. 

7 God is educating you; that's why you must never drop out. He's treating you as dear children. This trouble you're in isn't punishment; it's training,

8 .the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? 

9 .We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God's training so we can truly live?

10. While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God's holy best. 

11. at the time, discipline isn't much fun. It always feels like it's going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it's the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God.  

12. So don't sit around on your hands! No more dragging your feet!  

Listen to this: All things belong to God and they are given to us as gifts and not a claim. There is no talk about human rights here because the Lord is the Sovereign Owner of all.  He desires that we have all we want and that we can handle them with maturity.  Give thanks for what you have and trust Him for what you don't. Never forget: A man can receive nothing, except it is given to him from above.

 Oops, Ouch, Ugh, Phew, Um, er….. Look beyond your current inconveniences, God after all may be pruning you, so you can bring forth more Fruits.