“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.”
In the words of Jesus, “You are already pruned because of the word I spoke to you,” I had to pause to think about what that means in my life. Maybe it’s similar to “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.” More than that, though, I think it’s more like “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away so that he can giveth more!” In the Gospel reading from a few days ago, Jesus says, “Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day.”
God, help me understand the work of your Son in the world. Jesus’ words are pruning words; they take away what doesn’t grow in me so that what does grow in me can grow like crazy. Aware of this same overgrowth, the disciples went out into the world to share the Gospel while remaining in God. Like them, I will also go out into the world today. How far will I go to share the Gospel?
A gentle spring rain comes down today, watering the lawn and the garden, watering the weeds. What does it mean for me to be a disciple? What does it mean to trust that what God takes away from me is pure grace? “Ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you,” Jesus says in today’s reading. Jesus, take from me freely today; in that, let me give glory to your Father.
Today I want to soak up all the goodness of Easter and delight in it, remain on the vine and know that pruning doesn’t hurt as much as withering away in selfish, willful aims. Let me be ready today to share the joy that is in the Gospel.