Daily Inspiration

Jesus said to his disciples: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.” —John 15:1-8

God the Father does not place hardship in our lives; it comes naturally because we live in a fallen world. However, He does use the calamities of life to prune away all that does not bear His goodness. For those who draw their strength from Christ, the pruning serves to cast off all that is dead, allowing life to flourish.

Every branch connected to the Vine, the Son, Our Lord Jesus, still has hope for life to flow into it from Christ. Yet it still comes to free will and personal decision. You either choose life with Christ, and bear good fruit, or you will be cut away, to fall to the ground, wither, and die.

In hopes of lightening up such a heavy concept, I couldn’t help but think of what my favorite spokesman, the Most Interesting Man in the World, might say about this…

“I don’t always choose to be pruned, but when the Lord does, I choose Christ!”