John 15:1-8
Jesus said, 
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples."
Jesus repeated the word “abide” eight times in this brief passage. That makes me think there must be something about abiding that is important for me to hear. What about this word, “abide?” Might we interpret Jesus instruction as something like, “Persevere, continue, endure, stay with me as I (Jesus) persevere, continue, endure and stay with you. It’s no picnic in the vineyard. If we are going to bear good fruit it will take perseverance. We are going to have to weather storms and endure droughts. We can’t be afraid to chop off the parts that are not working for us. Anything that gets in the way of bearing good fruit is of no use in the vineyard. So stick with me no matter what. When the wind howls and gusts and schemes to scare you and tare you away from me, hold on tight. Hang tough and continue with me. As long as you are in me and I am in you, nothing is impossible.”
ReplyDeleteSure, that is not exactly how the Bible tells it, still it helps me to understand that Jesus and I are in this life, this vineyard together; abiding in one another. Jesus is not asking me to endure anything that he has not already endured. What Jesus is doing is telling us the secret of withstanding the whims of weather and the blades of the Father’s pruning shears. I believe Jesus is instructing; “Accept reality as it is. Things will get uncomfortable in the vineyard. So acknowledge that and hang in there. Instead of complaining about difficult times, resisting reality or running away, stay with me (Jesus) and persevere to the end. This is how we express our appreciation and reverence to the Father. This is how we bear good fruit. ‘Abide in me as I abide in you.’”