Wednesday | Week 12

This is a long passage, but I believe the heart of it may be found in chapter 15 – the passage on the Vine and the Branches. I find verse 4 to be of particular power: “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”

When we stop to think about it, we can see the logic of what Jesus says in these few words. Christianity is not just a system of thought, though it is that. Christianity is unique in that the effectiveness of its followers is utterly dependent on their connection to Jesus. The vine and the branch metaphor is exactly about this relationship. A person can believe in Jesus, can have accepted his sacrificial death and promise of heaven, but unless there is an abiding connection between Jesus and the believer, very little will change in their life and very little fruit will result. 

Sadly, it is the human tendency to drift from this essential tie with Jesus. We become complacent, distracted, or even indifferent in our life with the Lord. We don’t mean to drift – but we do in fact, often drift. We stay in this state until some life event jolts us and we become desperate again for a partnership with God. As I write this, we are in the world crisis of the Corona Virus. At this moment I can only guess how it all will turn out. It’s a nervous, anxious, unsettled time. Already I feel within myself, as well as in the lives of other Christians, a surge of desire to strengthen my friendship with God’s Son. It’s not surprising that this desire is re-kindled in a crisis, but it’s unfortunate that it takes such an experience to get back on track. I take comfort in knowing that such is the human condition – and thus why we need God.

In 1978, the newly elected Pope, John Paul II, travelled to his homeland in Poland. At that time, the country was dominated by the Soviet Union and the authorities were very nervous that the Pope would stir up the Polish people through his preaching. Well, they were right – he did. At the first of his open-air masses, over one million people were present and before John Paul even spoke they chanted in unison “We need God” over and over again. Communism later collapsed in Poland. Many historians point to that day as the beginning of the end of Soviet domination. People need God. All people do! All the time – no matter what condition the world seems to be in.

  • What keeps you from abiding more consistently in Jesus?

  • What fruits do you desire to be more a part of your life?

  • What practices do you need to draw closer to Christ?

  • Can you do this without “beating yourself up” for past lethargy?

  • What, in this moment, would Jesus say to you?

  • Can you be confident his words would be encouraging and kind?