John 15:5 NKJV
I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
John 13 – 17 recounts Jesus’ last night before His death. These chapters are His farewell words to His disciples, intended to prepare and encourage them. Today’s scripture is the seventh and last “I AM” statement of Jesus in the Gospel of John.
Jesus says He is the Vine, and His disciples are the branches. It means Jesus is the source of life and nourishment for those who believe in Him. He promises to sustain us as long as we abide in Him. It’s only through this intimate attachment with our Savior that we grow and develop spiritual fruits (Galatians 5:22). We can’t produce fruits on our own. Without Him, we can do nothing. We have to depend on the life-giving power of Jesus. If we separate from Him or do not bear fruits according to the Father’s desires, we will be cast away (John 15:6). Our fruitfulness is actually proof of how rooted we are in our Saviour.
Even while we abide in the Vine, our Father may prune us so that we may bear more fruit (John 15:2). Though pruning could be painful, we can trust God to shape and refine us into His masterpieces.
When we find ourselves in the hardest seasons of life, let’s make it our prayer to abide in the Vine as faithful branches. Let us humbly allow our Father to prune us so we can bear much fruit for His glory.
NB: To all the beautiful women out there, Happy International Women’s Day! May the Holy Spirit guide and counsel all you women of worth to spend quality time with our Savior daily.
