John 15:5-6 9 (New International Version)
5 “I am the
vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear
much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you
are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up,
thrown into the fire and burned.
How did it get there? A huge piece of tree trunk, hanging
from the top branches of the Maple tree. It was dead, ripped away from the
mother tree, a 10-foot gap between it and where it had once been attached. As you
look at the short section of trunk wedged in the treetop, you notice its
branches intermingled with the vivid greens of the living tree. They were
nothing but bare, brown sticks. No leaves. No flowers. No fruit. What a stark
contrast to the living branches!
How did it get there? Why didn’t it fall down? Why didn’t
someone take it out of the tree? We will probably never know the answers to
those questions, but one thing we DO know: the only reason that trunk is dead
is that it broke away from the mother tree! Had it continued to be connected,
it, too, would be sporting a thick foliage of Maple leaves! But now it can’t
bear leaves, or fruit, or flowers. It is separated form its source of life!
As human beings, we, also, have a source of life. Our
source is the Lord Jesus Christ. But sadly, some don’t know they have a source
of life. Others know it, but they have allowed things to creep in—things that
separate them from Him. For some it is problems. For others, temptations such
as immorality or greed. Or it could be something as simple as the general
busyness of life. But whatever the cause, the result is the same. The
trunk—you—became severed from the root system—Jesus Christ—and you cannot bear fruit!
Like that dead branch, we can be separated from Jesus our
entire lives and not know it. We go on, feeling tired, empty, and alone, never
knowing there is a solution.
The poor bare branch on the Maple tree around the corner
will, sadly, never live again. Once severed from the root system, branches die.
The good news, however, is that though we’ve been severed from our “root
system”—Jesus—we CAN go back! Jesus made it possible by the shedding of His
Blood. All is NOT lost! All we have to do is ask Him to remove what separates
us—our sin—and we can become living branches, full of peace, joy, and purpose,
bearing the leaves, flowers, and fruit of an abundant life.
Do you feel empty? Is your life dull, ordinary, void? If
so, why not ask Him in? He will cleanse you, heal you, and strengthen you, for
there is nothing He likes better than to see you again attached to your “root
system”, bearing fruit unto righteousness!
Dear Lord we thank you that we can have life through You.
We are thankful that even when we are away from You we can come back. In Jesus’
Name, Amen.
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