Today’s Scripture:
John 15:1-2 NIV
“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.
The Greek word used for "prune" in this context means to cleanse or purify. Thus, it is to remove unnecessary or harmful elements to promote healthier and more productive growth.
No one really likes pruning; it's hard and painful. Pruning in the text means to be disciplined by God. It is to be refined as a follower of Christ. It's like the gardener who prunes the vine to ensure that it produces more fruit. That's what Jesus does to us, his sheep, his followers, who abide in him.
We all say we want to be more productive, we want to grow in Christ, but there's no growth without pruning. Pruning is the removal of anything that hinders spiritual growth and fruitfulness. In other words, whatever causes us to stumble and grow weak in our faith and character, God has to remove it. It's God's corrective nature. I learned a while back that if you love someone, you confront them. Because confrontation is love.
Pruning is a verb that means to cleanse, purify, or prune. It speaks to our relationship with God, with Christ, and how he cleanses us, purifies us, and corrects us. When this pruning takes place, it cuts away parts of the plant to improve its health. Similarly, God's pruning of believers involves disciplines or trials that ultimately lead to greater spiritual maturity and fruitfulness.
Different forms of pruning come through: Pain, sorrow, sickness, suffering, loss, bereavement, failure, disappointment, and frustrated ambition are some ways your life is pruned. Pruning is an Ongoing Process, which indicates a continuous action. This suggests that pruning is not a one-time event but an ongoing process in the life of a believer.
It is essential to remain in the Father; in the text, it's the vine, which is Christ. The vine and branches metaphor highlights the necessity of remaining connected to Christ. Embrace the pruning family, though you are going through right now. It's for your good. To produce a healthier you in the spiritual sense and to cause you to grow in your relationship with God. Remember, pruning is God's love language; he loves you that much, so he prunes.
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