“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.” -John 15:5

He is always the vine.

I am always the branch, as are you. We are created to bear much fruit, a task we can only successfully complete as we remain connected to Him.

When I think about what this looks like in this life, I see a healthy, powerful vine, with seemingly endless branches and lush foliage revealing itself in season. We, like the vine’s branches, blossom, leaf, and begin sprouting fruit.

Fruit generally speaking is delicious. However, not all fruit is delicious once it’s ripe. I’ve eaten “sweet” cherries that tasted like soap some seasons, because the conditions weren’t right to produce the necessary sugars in the spring. It’s unfortunate, but sometimes, we simply have to discard bad fruit. We can’t make it sweet again. But: falling fruit doesn’t mean you’re disconnected from the vine. I would, however, check your connection to your energy source.

If you don’t like the looks of your fruit…perhaps accept the pruning our Father and His son offer. I find obedience and even discipline go better when we surrender our tasteless or disgusting fruit to the process.

Good or bad, we’re all branches, and we all produce something. We have the grace and ability in Christ to bear MUCH fruit. Perhaps our grapes mature, ferment, and are pressed into fine wine. Perhaps it remains juice fit for toddlers. God forbid, it turns sour.

But we’re still connected. Leaves fall. Fruit rots sometimes.

We’re still connected. Believe it today, it changes everything.

The leaf, bloom, seed, has its season. It flourishes amongst other green companions.

Leaves fall. 

Seeds must fall.

But the branch that is me remains forever connected to the vine.

Amen.

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. -Isaiah 40:8

This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. -John 15:8