08/15/2018
How great is your dependence on Jesus Christ? Is He the source of everything in our life; spiritual and physical sustenance, a firm foundation amidst the storms, the basis of emotional and mental wellbeing, and our guide to eternity with God? We should look to God for all things, and to Jesus, His Son and our intercessor, to bring us, and each of our prayers, before the Father. Do we do that in every aspect of our lives, or do we envision ourselves as being like a self-sufficient plant that is growing beside Him?
“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
John 15:5 ESV
Branches of a plant... if we look at ourselves like that it is easy to understand how much we should depend on Jesus to sustain us. The strength of the vine, and the nourishment from His root providing every basic need for us, but it is up to us as branches to take what is provided, and through the gathering of sunlight on our leaves, return the refined sustenance to the vine, and grow the fruit that will perpetuate it, and that feeds all life that depends on us.
We should long to be branches upon the vine that is Jesus because on His return we will feed all of creation with our fruit, and bring glory to God thereafter. I love reading Old Testament scripture that speaks of God restoring the lost people of antiquity because it speaks prophetically and sheds light on the joy of what lies ahead when Jesus returns.
“"Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done great things! Fear not, you beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness are green; the tree bears its fruit; the fig tree and vine give their full yield. "Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given the early rain for your vindication; he has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the latter rain, as before.”
Joel 2:21-23 ESV
But our joy in these restorative scriptures is always preceded by fear and sadness because before there can be restoration there must always be a fall, and these scriptures cause us to quiver and shake as we read them. Do you read them and see the gloom that is spoken of there?
“Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of hosts: "Because you have spoken this word, behold, I am making my words in your mouth a fire, and this people wood, and the fire shall consume them. Behold, I am bringing against you a nation from afar, O house of Israel, declares the Lord. It is an enduring nation; it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language you do not know, nor can you understand what they say. Their quiver is like an open tomb; they are all mighty warriors. They shall eat up your harvest and your food; they shall eat up your sons and your daughters; they shall eat up your flocks and your herds; they shall eat up your vines and your fig trees; your fortified cities in which you trust they shall beat down with the sword."”
Jeremiah 5:14-17 ESV
This is ominous is it not? So Adam and Eve fell, were driven from the Garden of Eden, and since then we have struggled in our relationship with God. We have had many falls, and many hopeful restorations since then, but at long last we are approaching the conclusion of the final rise and restoration in this tumultuous relationship. God has sent His Son (the vine) to restore all of creation to what it was before the great fall in the Garden, and to return it pure and fruitful to Him. There will be no more ups and downs, but only peace and rest in God’s house. Our fruit will forever adorn His table, and the taste of Christ will be sweet as honey on every tongue. The rains of restoration will have come.
So we look ahead and the full restoration is at hand!! The New Jerusalem is waiting to descend, and Jesus is prepared to take a His rightful place... but are we ready to receive this gift of redemption? Are we the lush branches of the one true vine? Are we abiding in this great vine that is Jesus Christ, or do we see our self as wayward sprouts unto ourselves? As we read of the second coming do we quake and cower in fear like the Old Testament fallen, or rejoice and run to meet the coming King in Joy like those who are restored?
“"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
John 3:16-18 ESV
How do we read this scripture from John? Are we joyful and secure in Jesus the vine, or shaking in fear and doubt? Listen to these words in Micah 4, they are a promise, and we should prepare ourselves to receive it...
“but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.”
Micah 4:4 ESV
And what is the spoken Word for us in this time? Listen to Jesus...
“"Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."”
John 14:1-7 ESV
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for your Son Jesus Christ who was sent into the world to speak of your truth, to redeem us, and to give us the gift of eternity in relationship with you. Help me Father to be a branch on Him, the true vine, and to flourish as I bear much fruit for your kingdom. I pray Father that I will always prosper, and not be found wanting. I pray that my bounty for you will be sufficient and that I will never fall victim to the pruning shears. Let the Root and Vine of Christ feed me Holy Father so that I grow lush and full, burdened heavy with fruit, pleasing to your eye, and sweet and good to your taste. Keep me firm in your promise Gracious Lord, and steady me in it so that I will not quake in fear for what is to come. Give me peace, joy, and great expectation at the revealed coming of Jesus from the clouds. Let the trumpet sound, and all creation proclaim His coming! Lift me to join Him in the sky, and every voice rejoice in the harvest of your great vine. You are merciful and full of grace Father, and in your arms I am at rest and sealed by Jesus for eternity. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you the master of the field, and the great Vigneron.
Rich Forbes