A few months ago when it was still warm enough for a heavy sweater and we could spend lots of time outside, Caleb and I went for a walk with the Cozy Coup (pictured).
Caleb was pushing his car along the sidewalk with my hand on top to keep it from veering off the sidewalk and into the grass.
It wasn't long before he noticed my hand.
He looked from my hand to my face and the look said it all!
He was not happy about the fact that I was guiding his car.
"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. 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. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." John 15:5-8
These verses from John have played an integral part of my faith journey - I would even call them life verses. God continually brings John 15:1-8 to my life.
Perhaps He's needed to do it when I look from his hand to his face and I am not happy that He is guiding my life!
So often I feel like I've got it all figured out.
Like I can do it on my own.
And then BAM - a John 15 moment happens:
"apart from me you can do nothing."
I do love it when Jesus makes himself absolutely clear and it doesn't get much more clear than that statement!
Jesus is the Vine. I am the branch. Without the Vine, the branch doesn't even exist.
It seems so obvious that the branch needs to stay connected to the Vine in order to have life - yet so often, I think I can do it all on my own.
"I am completely capable of doing this; I'll ask God for help if I get stuck!" or
"I don't need to bother Him with this."
Jesus knows that in order to do anything worthwhile and in order to bear any good fruit, I need to be connected to Him. The way I see it, there are only benefits to staying connected to the Vine:
Option 1 please!
God wants our lives to have significance and He hasn't made a secret of how to do that! Stay connected to the Vine - Jesus!
When we are connected to the Vine,
When we are in constant connection with God,
When we are praying and reading scripture regularly,
When we are being students of His Word and learning from Him,
When we are applying scripture to our lives,
The things we set our hands, feet, head and heart to will have significance - eternal significance.
Invite God to set His hand on the Cozy Coup of your life today. Heck, let Him get in a drive the Cozy Coup…you probably don't fit behind the steering wheel anyway!
Your life will bear fruit, you'll be on the same page with God and He'll be able to lead and guide you into a life of significance - for His glory!
How are you doing at staying connected to the Vine?
What will you do to remain in Him today?
This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:8
Caleb was pushing his car along the sidewalk with my hand on top to keep it from veering off the sidewalk and into the grass.
It wasn't long before he noticed my hand.
He looked from my hand to my face and the look said it all!
He was not happy about the fact that I was guiding his car.
"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. 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. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." John 15:5-8
These verses from John have played an integral part of my faith journey - I would even call them life verses. God continually brings John 15:1-8 to my life.
Perhaps He's needed to do it when I look from his hand to his face and I am not happy that He is guiding my life!
So often I feel like I've got it all figured out.
Like I can do it on my own.
And then BAM - a John 15 moment happens:
"apart from me you can do nothing."
I do love it when Jesus makes himself absolutely clear and it doesn't get much more clear than that statement!
Jesus is the Vine. I am the branch. Without the Vine, the branch doesn't even exist.
It seems so obvious that the branch needs to stay connected to the Vine in order to have life - yet so often, I think I can do it all on my own.
"I am completely capable of doing this; I'll ask God for help if I get stuck!" or
"I don't need to bother Him with this."
Jesus knows that in order to do anything worthwhile and in order to bear any good fruit, I need to be connected to Him. The way I see it, there are only benefits to staying connected to the Vine:
- Our lives bear fruit - everything in our lives is worthwhile because of Him and our connection with Him
- We get to be in relationship with the One who gave us life and is the only Who sustains our lives
- We get to bring glory to God; none of this has to be about you or me! It's about Him!
- If a branch isn't connected to the Vine that gives it life…well, how do I say it nicely…it's dead.
- That branch will be picked up, thrown and then burned.
Option 1 please!
God wants our lives to have significance and He hasn't made a secret of how to do that! Stay connected to the Vine - Jesus!
When we are connected to the Vine,
When we are in constant connection with God,
When we are praying and reading scripture regularly,
When we are being students of His Word and learning from Him,
When we are applying scripture to our lives,
The things we set our hands, feet, head and heart to will have significance - eternal significance.
Invite God to set His hand on the Cozy Coup of your life today. Heck, let Him get in a drive the Cozy Coup…you probably don't fit behind the steering wheel anyway!
Your life will bear fruit, you'll be on the same page with God and He'll be able to lead and guide you into a life of significance - for His glory!
How are you doing at staying connected to the Vine?
What will you do to remain in Him today?
This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:8
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