Friday February 25, 2022

Today is Friday, February 25 and this week we are exploring what the Bible says about leaving the past behind.

As I begin this new day with prayer, I seek God’s presence. I breathe deeply and slowly and focus my whole being upon the triune God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Pause and Pray

Holy Lord God, thank you for loving me. I cherish reminders of your presence throughout my day. Teach me to open my heart and mind to receive the message you have for me. I am learning to listen for your still small voice speaking to my soul. Amen.

The entire book of Psalms revolves around helping me commune with God. The book begins with these words from Psalm 1.

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. Psalm 1:1-3

Pause and Pray

Chapters 14–17 of the gospel of John are known as the Farewell Discourse, given by Jesus to his disciples at the conclusion of the Last Supper the night before his crucifixion. In his final speech Jesus both comforts and challenges his followers. He tells them he will be going away to the Father but will send the Holy Spirit to guide them. He bestows peace and commands them to love one another. He warns them that persecutions will come and they will suffer. He prays for the unity of the church and gives them an allegory of a vine and branches as a model for discipleship through the ages. Jesus is the vine, the source of life and his followers are the branches bearing fruit.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also 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. 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. John 15:1-5

I am to bear fruit for Jesus, fruit for his kingdom, fruit in every word I speak and deed I do. I consider my fruit. What fruit has my life produced up to this point? Disciples who bear no fruit will be cut off. Disciples who do bear fruit will be pruned. Jesus reminds me I cannot bear fruit by myself. Apart from Jesus I can do nothing – I will be barren, impotent, and unproductive. A fruitful life requires that I remain in him as he remains in me. I consider the intentional ways I strive to “remain” in Jesus throughout my busy day. What do I do to “remain” in the vine? Looking back I recognize the fruit that has come from my life. I am thankful I have some fruit to point to. The one who bears fruit, Jesus says, will be pruned. Pruning is not pleasant. Spiritual pruning feels like a reduction, a diminishing, a sorrowful, humbling and even painful experience. Whatever is pruned is left behind. Left in the past. Jesus says I am pruned for a reason – so that I will be even more fruitful in the future.

Ask: Have I ever experienced a season of “pruning”? What might I need to leave in the past in order to be even more fruitful for Christ in the future?

Pause and Pray

Blessed Lord Jesus, you are my true vine. I am thankful to be a branch in your vineyard. Show me what it means to remain in you and give me the grace to remain deeply. I pray that I will bear good fruit for your kingdom. I invite my heavenly Father, my gardener, to prune me. Prune me Lord so that I have the opportunity to be even more fruitful for you. I read the words from John again and listen for the message you have for me.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also 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. 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. John 15:1-5

Ask: What image, word or phrase stands out to me when I slowly read this passage? What is God trying to say to me through these words of scripture?

Pause and Pray

When I slow down to read scripture it enables me to focus on key images displayed in the text, so much so that I not only hear the text, but I begin to see it with my imagination. I meditate on the image this scripture evokes. I ruminate on the word or phrase that stands out to me. I reflect on specific circumstances in my life that God may be using these words to inform. I consider how God might want to guide, comfort, correct or challenge me through these words and images. I imagine I am a branch in a vineyard. I consider which of the following images resonates with me the most. I am connected to the vine, I am alone and disconnected from the vine, I am working hard on my own but my fruit is small and inconsequential, I am heavily laden with fruit, I am humbled and diminished from pruning. Perhaps I lie dormant for a season. What next steps does God have for me in my spiritual life?

Pause and Pray

Heavenly Father, you are the gardener. Come and examine the quality of the fruit I have produced for your kingdom. I invite you to prune me in this season. Teach me to stay solidly connected to Jesus the true vine and enable me to experience the power of the Holy Spirit flowing through my life. Prepare me to produce abundant fruit for you in this new day, this new church and this new world. Amen.

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. John 15:16a

I leave this time of prayer connected to the true vine. I go to bear good fruit in all I say and do – fruit that will last.

Amen.