Today, read Psalm 51, and then back to John 15: 1-4 again.
In John 15, Jesus talked to his disciples about "abiding"...staying attached.
"I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me."
I'm struck by the words, "he cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't bear fruit, and he prunes the branches." I remember 30 years ago we bought our first house. It was a little cape cod in Randolph, and it had a huge backyard with a number of fruit trees and a long trellised grape vine. I knew nothing about what to do with them, but in the church was a master gardener - Herb Scott. Herb came over one day to look at my trees and garden, and he told me that I would have to "prune" these branches if I hoped to get fruit. So, I pruned...so I thought. When he came back he told me that all I had done was snip a few inches off, but they needed to be "pruned" - seriously cut back. When it was done it made the trees and vines look like a hippie with a butch haircut. He told me, "Now, they're pruned".
I learned a serious lesson that year about John 15. Fruit comes from "pruning", and pruning is in cutting off, so that fruit can grow.
This is where Psalm 51 comes in. David's song is a confession of sin - a necessary part of our relationship with God. Repentance comes from the Greek word, "metanoia", which means to "turn". David doesn't repent because he has to, but because he realizes he has turned away from the very source of life in his selfishness, and that turning back towards God is the remedy.
"Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;"
That's his confidence. Not in the act, but in God. Our God is merciful...full of mercy. He is the Prodigal father waiting for our simple act of saying, "I was wrong". His love is deep and our heart, when soft to see we've not obeyed him, is his concern.
"The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God."
Hebrews reminds us to come boldly to the throne of grace. In Christ all that is necessary has already occurred. He is the vine, we are the branches...get rid of those things that don't produce fruit.
Here's an exercise to practice daily during lent. Take a few minutes at the end of the day - perhaps in bed before going to sleep - and mentally rehearse your past day. Is there something you know was wrong before God? Thoughts, actions, words spoken or unspoken??? Speak them to the Lord and tell him you're sorry for the sin in those things, and ask him, in Christ, to remove them from you. God loves the fruit of repentance.
Peace
If you're also reading through the Bible in a year with me, read Joshua 16, 17, 18
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
In John 15, Jesus talked to his disciples about "abiding"...staying attached.
"I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me."
I'm struck by the words, "he cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't bear fruit, and he prunes the branches." I remember 30 years ago we bought our first house. It was a little cape cod in Randolph, and it had a huge backyard with a number of fruit trees and a long trellised grape vine. I knew nothing about what to do with them, but in the church was a master gardener - Herb Scott. Herb came over one day to look at my trees and garden, and he told me that I would have to "prune" these branches if I hoped to get fruit. So, I pruned...so I thought. When he came back he told me that all I had done was snip a few inches off, but they needed to be "pruned" - seriously cut back. When it was done it made the trees and vines look like a hippie with a butch haircut. He told me, "Now, they're pruned".
I learned a serious lesson that year about John 15. Fruit comes from "pruning", and pruning is in cutting off, so that fruit can grow.
This is where Psalm 51 comes in. David's song is a confession of sin - a necessary part of our relationship with God. Repentance comes from the Greek word, "metanoia", which means to "turn". David doesn't repent because he has to, but because he realizes he has turned away from the very source of life in his selfishness, and that turning back towards God is the remedy.
"Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;"
That's his confidence. Not in the act, but in God. Our God is merciful...full of mercy. He is the Prodigal father waiting for our simple act of saying, "I was wrong". His love is deep and our heart, when soft to see we've not obeyed him, is his concern.
"The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God."
Hebrews reminds us to come boldly to the throne of grace. In Christ all that is necessary has already occurred. He is the vine, we are the branches...get rid of those things that don't produce fruit.
Here's an exercise to practice daily during lent. Take a few minutes at the end of the day - perhaps in bed before going to sleep - and mentally rehearse your past day. Is there something you know was wrong before God? Thoughts, actions, words spoken or unspoken??? Speak them to the Lord and tell him you're sorry for the sin in those things, and ask him, in Christ, to remove them from you. God loves the fruit of repentance.
Peace
If you're also reading through the Bible in a year with me, read Joshua 16, 17, 18
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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