pruning.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 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. John 15:1-2

John 15 has been one of my favorite passages for many years. I revisited it last night, as I'm seeking to rediscover the words Jesus spoke just before He went to the cross. I imagine He must have had a sense of urgency to share all He could with His disciples to help them make sense of what was about to happen, and to give them insight as to how they should respond, how they ought to carry out His message.

After reading through John 15 last night, these words are spinning in my head: He cuts off. He prunes. Our Father is the gardener. We are the branches. He cuts off the unfruitful branches. He prunes the fruitful branches.

There are areas in my life that the Father knows are unfruitful. Parts of my personality that don't reflect Him. Sometimes, I don't even know they're there. I've become so used to my dead, ugly, unfruitful branches that that's just the way I am. I have flaws, so what? I have fear, don't we all?

But God wants to cut off those dead, ugly, unfruitful branches. He knows that behind the flaws and fear is someone made in His image, someone who was made to bear fruit.

And even the branches that are fruitful, He still prunes those. He gives attention and care to every branch, every ounce of me, pruning, cutting away, shaping, replanting, that I might bear much fruit.

Right now, He's in the process of replanting me. Uprooting me. And you know what happens when a plant is uprooted? The roots are exposed--my roots will be exposed. Those hidden branches, the dead ones and the unfruitful ones, more of those may show. But I trust that if I remain in Him, He, the master gardener, knows exactly what to cut off and what to prune as I grow, and as I bear much fruit. May I welcome the pruning.

This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:8