Prune Away!

Some time ago, several of us read and discussed John 15:1-5. Take a moment right now to read those few verses: 
 
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine dresser. Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."
 
In those passages, Jesus discusses, among other things, the need to prune every branch that bears fruit so that it may bear more fruit. He reminds us that we cannot bear fruit (spiritual) unless we abide in Him. "Faith, hope and trust in God," our spiritual advisor stated, " is how one abides with God."

I cannot do justice to the wisdom he shared with our group that night. But let me highlight just a few of the gems I do recall and which are worthy of further reflection:

      We must let go of the way things were and allow new growth to occur. We have to do what God wants us to do and to let go of what we want to do.  We must obey God  no matter how painful doing so might be. God knows best.

      We forget that if we wish to bear spiritual fruit, we must allow God to prune us. What bore fruit must be removed so other other, new, growth can occur. 

      Pruning is an act of love on God's part. We must say "Yes" to being pruned. 

"Let Jesus live in you," this wise spiritual advisor urged us. "Jesus is reproducing His life in you!" 

 The problem with Adam and Eve, he told us, is the same problem we face today: They and we have ceased trusting in God. 

We must be willing to look foolish in the eyes of the world. We must bring this essential Truth to all people: "Jesus loves you. Trust in His love!" 

Prune away Lord, prune away!