We encourage you to read this devotion three times a
day. Start in the morning and reflect upon the morning reflection
question. Then in the afternoon, read it again and reflect using the noon
question for reflection. For the evening, take time to ponder how this
has resonated with you in the day and reflecting using the evening
question. We offer a prayer with each devotion for you to pray or we
invite you to pray what is in your heart.
John 15:1-8
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 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. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 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.5 “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. 6 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. 7 If you remain
in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Reflection:
Our scripture today flies in the face of the predominate culture of our day. When you get
knocked down, you pull yourself up by the bootstraps and fight, fight, fight. We all have
that breaking point, the one where we realize that we just can't do life on our own no
matter how hard we try. It is, in our secular minds, our greatest moments of defeat.
Jesus, to no surprise offers us an alternative view. I grew up living on a vineyard so the
imagery on this text is familiar to me. The winter is the hardest time to be a grape
farmer. It is the season of pruning. The weather stink and the days are long and hard.
You prune each vine so far back one would think you have killed it. without pruning, the
grapevines will not bear the fruit the next year. Therefore, pruning is not just a need it is
essential to the future of the vineyard. So goes our text today. Our own lives, can
become limited by excesses manifest in a number of different ways. Jesus' call to
pruning is not a call of comfort. It is a call that will involve loss, pain, change, and even
a lot of fear. In the midst of a pruning season of life, all you can see are those things.
Anger springs up, frustration builds, patience wears thin. However, a bit of pruning from
the creator gives a preparation and makes room for more growth to come our way. This is tough love but true love nonetheless.
bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even
more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 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.5 “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. 6 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. 7 If you remain
in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Reflection:
Our scripture today flies in the face of the predominate culture of our day. When you get
knocked down, you pull yourself up by the bootstraps and fight, fight, fight. We all have
that breaking point, the one where we realize that we just can't do life on our own no
matter how hard we try. It is, in our secular minds, our greatest moments of defeat.
Jesus, to no surprise offers us an alternative view. I grew up living on a vineyard so the
imagery on this text is familiar to me. The winter is the hardest time to be a grape
farmer. It is the season of pruning. The weather stink and the days are long and hard.
You prune each vine so far back one would think you have killed it. without pruning, the
grapevines will not bear the fruit the next year. Therefore, pruning is not just a need it is
essential to the future of the vineyard. So goes our text today. Our own lives, can
become limited by excesses manifest in a number of different ways. Jesus' call to
pruning is not a call of comfort. It is a call that will involve loss, pain, change, and even
a lot of fear. In the midst of a pruning season of life, all you can see are those things.
Anger springs up, frustration builds, patience wears thin. However, a bit of pruning from
the creator gives a preparation and makes room for more growth to come our way. This is tough love but true love nonetheless.
Reflection Questions:
Morning: When has been a season of "pruning" in your life? What results came from the experience?
Noon: What excesses are hindering you from being better?
Evening: Pray for pruning in love? Pray for clarity and courage?
Morning: When has been a season of "pruning" in your life? What results came from the experience?
Noon: What excesses are hindering you from being better?
Evening: Pray for pruning in love? Pray for clarity and courage?
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