The night before he was crucified, Jesus, using the imagery of vineyards, told his disciples, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-dresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he *prunes*, that it may bear more fruit.” (John 15:1-2)
This passage haunts me to a degree.
I do want to obey Christ, but I reminded that all believers will, at varied times in ones’ life, be “pruned.”
The word “prune” here literally means ” to cleanse.” It’s the “cutting away of dead wood which is the removal of hindrances that drain spiritual life from a believer.” And God’s “pruning”, albeit necessary to our spiritual health, sometimes hurts.
I have two Crepe Myrtles in my front yard. Every Spring I have to prune both the trunks and the branches, removing those twigs that would hinder & drain nutrients the trees need to bloom properly. Some of those twigs are located at the base of the trunk. I call them “bottom feeders.”
Are there “bottom feeders” (habits, unforgiveness, anger, pride, relationship etc.) in your life hindering you from loving Christ? Satan would love to drain every last drop of our commitment to Christ, leaving us always short of spiritual health.
Soli Deo Gloria, nick