When You Quit Trying to Grow Grapes by Yourself

Well, come through that side gate right over there, friend, and git yourself right up here on this here ol’ front porch so you can claim that ol’ cane bottom chair right beside the washstand on the corner before somebody else gets notions of gittin’ it. A lil’ ol’ meadowlark is plum carryin’ on from the fence row like it’s been appointed as the music director for the whole county, and there’s an ol’ mole under the garden workin’ harder than a revival committee with absolutely no idea where it’s gonna be goin’. That there sounds suspiciously just like all of the rest of us sometimes.

We can get mighty busy tryin’ to manufacture spiritual fruit. More patience. More kindness. More peace. Try harder. Grit your teeth. Straighten yourself up.

Mercy me, we can git to strainin’ so hard at being fruitful that we nearly pull somethin’ in one of our spiritual muscles.

But Jesus said in John 15:5, “I am the vine, ye are the branches.” A branch don’t hold a committee meetin’ about producin’ grapes. It just plum stays connected to the vine.

That there’s the heart of abidin’, friend.

Prayer keeps us near. Scripture keeps His truth flowin’ right on through our thinkin’. Obedience keeps us sho’-nuff’ walkin’ with Him. But none of those are tricks for manufacturin’ spiritual life. They’re plum ways of remainin’ real close to the One that’s sho’-nuff’our life.

And Psalm 1:3 describes the person rooted in God’s truth as “a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season.”

Notice that.

Planted first. Fruit afterward.

We often git to reversin’ it. We try producin’ enough fruit to keep on provin’ we’re plum connected.

Jesus says, “Abide.”

Yesterday’s closeness won’t nourish today’s soul any more than last spring’s rain waters nourishes today’s tomatoes.

Father, keep me close to Jesus. Forgive me for trying to produce in my own strength what only Your life can grow within me. Draw me into Your Word, prayer, obedience, and daily fellowship. Let the fruit others see come naturally from Christ living through me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Alright now, scoot yourself right on through the remain’ parts of your day, friend, but don’t you go chargin’ off like an ol’ rooster chasin’ a wheelbarrow with no earthly notion why. An ol’ fence post can stand in an orchard for fifty years and never produce not even one peach. A branch can’t live on memories of bein’ connected. You’ve gotta be stayin’ close to Jesus right now today. Keep right on drawin’ from the Vine and be lettin’ God handle the fruit basket.

With joy,

Gwen