Devotional Focus: Staying Connected to the Vine

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” John 15:4, ESV.

Anyone familiar with planting fruit or vegetables connected to vines knows that the life-giving nutrition is accessed from the main vine. If that connection is severed, life and growth cannot continue. So it is also in our relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus metaphorically refers to himself as the Vine in John’s gospel. He is our source of spiritual life and strength. As long as we abide in Him by staying in close communion, we draw spiritual nutrition from Him, His strength becomes our strength, His will becomes our will. Ultimately, we bear fruit as we stay connected. Fruit is evidence of our connection.

While we can bear fruit of various kinds as Jesus followers, nothing is greater than helping people find their way to Him and being, in turn, connected to the Vine. When we are intimately connected to Jesus receiving His life-giving power and being tied into His will that none perish but come to everlasting life, our lives produce beautiful fruit.
When we’re connected to the true Vine, we have all we need to produce fruit. We don’t have to worry whether there is sufficient strength available. We can abide in Him in confidence, grow strong spiritually, and produce a harvest of fruit that will perpetuate life and vitality for the sake of God’s Kingdom.

John Maempa