Abiding or Remaining in the Vine.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.

John 15:1‭-‬17 NIV

Something I read from Jesus Calling (a daily devotional by Sarah Young spoke deeply to my spirit "Who is in charge of your life? If it is you then you have good reason to worry. But if it is I (Jesus), then worry is both unnecessary and counterproductive"

This combined with the thought of not to look at what I don't have, but to focus on what I do have!

So the obvious question is then what do I have?

Reminds me of what God said to Moses who was questioning God as to why he should go, and would he be received by the people of Israel.

God asked Moses, what do you have in your hand? It was his Shepherd staff, God didn't give Moses the staff, but used what was in his hand (if you recall it turns into a snake when cast down). 

In a similar way God uses what we have in our hands. All we have to do is remember what is in our hands.

What I have in my hand is this skill or tool of forming words to convey a story of how God deals with his son's. We all have gifts or talents that God can use, even if we are unaware of them, what is in your hand?

I have been working through the scripture reference above as part of my word of the year. I have noticed that the phrase "remain in me, as I remain in you" appears at least twice, plus other references to the word or command.

This conveys a promise that this abiding or remaining in Christ, is not left to our own devices only but Christ is actually fully invested in remaining in us, therefore this requirement for us to remain in him is also borne by Christ in us. WOW that blows my mind, he actually enables us by remaining in us, so that we can remain in Him. It's his desire that we bear much fruit, that our joy is complete, and we have the ability to love our brothers as he commands. To top this off he ensures that we know that He chose us, and calls us friends, his His command is that we love each other, and lay down our lives for each other.

With the quote from Jesus calling, about who is in charge of our lives in mind, we we can choose to allow Him, to be in charge, so that any worry about how to live, remain or abide in Him, is unnecessary and counterproductive. We simply surrender to the fact that I remain in Him and He remains in me, to will, act and carry out His will, plans and purposes for His Kingdom and Glory, that brings much fruitfulness within me.

I don't know about you, but I


am eternally grateful for this mystery, I can't claim to fully understand exactly how Christ works this out, but His word confirms the wonderful truth that I am indeed His, and He is mine! Such joy, and peace in the revelation in this deep intimate knowing relationship with the Vine (Jesus) and the Gardner (Father). Previously I blogged about the mystery of the vine (see links below) I sincerely hope that I and others appreciate the deep truths of this beautiful piece of God's word to us. More than that that we catch his heart toward us and live in the revelation we find herewith.

https://seanoireland.blogspot.com/2020/09/the-wineyard.html?m=1

https://seanoireland.blogspot.com/2020/09/the-secret-of-vine.html?m=1


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Oh to Be Chosen

 I don’t consider myself religious anymore. At least, not in the way people might expect. There was a time when belief felt structured, defined—something I either fit into or drifted away from. And in many ways, I did drift. I questioned, I pulled back, I let go of things that no longer felt true to me. But somewhere along the way—quietly, unexpectedly—something else found me. Not rules. Not obligation. Not pressure to become someone else. But a sense… that I am already chosen. And I know how that sounds, especially to those who’ve perhaps taken a step back from me over time. Maybe it feels like I’ve changed in ways that are hard to understand. Maybe it feels like distance was necessary. But the truth is, this hasn’t been about becoming more distant from myself. It’s been the opposite. It’s been about coming home. --- Oh to be chosen— not polished, not rehearsed, not softened at the edges to fit another’s comfort, but as I am in the quiet, unguarded truth of myself. To be seen beyo...
Read more

Inherited Shame

When I look back on my life, it is often with a sense of shame. A quiet, persistent feeling that no matter when, where, or who—it was always me. I was the common denominator. I was the one to blame. Inspired by a song of the Pet Shop Boys it's a sin. Music often speaks deeply to one's soul,  reflecting truths and emotions that remain buried in the subconscious until you recognise yourself within the lyrics. Another song that inspired this is Losing my religion by R.E.M.  Anthropology is the study of humans—how we live, think, evolve, and relate to each other across time and cultures. Music is one of form of art (also poetry and visual arts, that transcends across the human experience bringing emotional weight to otherwise plain lives. For a long time, I understood my life through that lens. Especially when I realised I was queer. I never chose this—this attraction to men. And it felt, for years, like something that set my life on a harder path than it needed to be. I imagined ...
Read more

On Being: Not Enough (And Learning Otherwise

 Some days it comes quietly. Not with accusation or drama—just a low, persistent whisper that settles somewhere in the background of my mind: You haven’t really done much. It’s a strange thought, because I know it isn’t true. If I take a moment to look back, I can see the shape of a life that has been anything but empty. I have been a father. A husband. A provider. I have led, I have mentored, I have stood in the gap for others when it mattered. I have shown up. And yet, the feeling lingers. I’ve come to realise that this voice doesn’t deal in facts. It measures something far less tangible—something closer to expectation than reality. Perhaps it’s the distance between who I once imagined I would become and who I see when I look at myself now. Not disappointment, exactly. Just… a quiet questioning. But if I’m honest, there is another truth that sits alongside that voice—one that is easier to overlook because it doesn’t announce itself as loudly. I didn’t live my life on the surface....
Read more