Pruning,,,,

Pruning...

Some of my trees and bushes needed pruning.  There were dead branches, too thick branches, unhealthy branches even on my trees and bushes that have only been planted for two years.  So I got put my clippers and was cutting away.  A month ago I couldn't  even hold the shears because of hand surgery, so it was encouraging to be able to hold the shears and to clean up the trees and bushes...

As I was pruning into away, I was struck again with the passage in John 15....I was cutting away the branches that were dead or fruitless...on these trees..ones which would never produce fruit..throwing them into the trash...hoping that in some miraculous year these tree may not freeze, but bloom at the right time to produce fruit...on the healthy remaining branches or vines...I was the gardener in my garden...

While God is the gardener in the world...I am being pruned...am I fruitful or not? Do I go my own way  or remain in the true vine?  Am I remaining in Him and His words....Does His words work in and through me?  Is He my joy?  Do I Love with His love?  .....

Thank YOU for the pruning process in my life....even when I really don't like it...I want to be fruitful...help me to remain in You and Your word...


John 15
New International Version (NIV)
The Vine and the Branches

15 “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.

9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 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. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 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. 16 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. 17 This is my command: Love each other.