We All Need Pruning
My mother-in-law is 95, so when we go to visit I try to do things for her that she no longer is able to do. Two years ago, I pruned her Crape Myrtle bush. This was no small task. I had to use a ladder and some of the branches were so large that I had to use a saw. I cut it back to a uniform length and hoped that I didn’t kill it. This year, it has been absolutely beautiful. It has bloomed all summer.
The surprising beauty that results from harsh cuts may be one of the reasons Jesus chose pruning imagery to describe God’s work among believers. In John 15, Jesus says, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener….Every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. (vv. 1-2) In John 15, Jesus is teaching His disciples not long before His trial and crucifixion. This would have been Jesus’ last opportunity to teach them to be steadfast in their faith and to bear fruit. Jesus says in verse five, “If you remain in me… you will bear much fruit.”
Jesus is telling us that if you remain with Him in the good times and the bad, God is always working in us toward spiritual renewal and fruitfulness. The pruning seasons are the times we suffer or have emotional barrenness and we may wonder if we will ever thrive or be happy again. Christ encourages us to stay close to him. Verse 4 says, “No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”
Just as the crape myrtle needed to be pruned and then came back to its fullness, we too need to be pruned and remain close to Jesus. Verse 8 tells us about the resulting beauty and fruitfulness in our lives will show the world God’s goodness.
Prayer – Father, help me to trust You during difficult seasons in my life. Teach me to trust You in all the seasons of my life. Teach me to know that You are always at work bringing beauty and change. Amen.
John 15:2 –Every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
Author: Tommy Herndon
