Wednesday January 27, 2021

In the busyness of our everyday lives, we often fail to prepare our hearts and minds for reading God’s word and experience God in this time. Take a moment to allow this prayer to lead you into your time with God today.

As I enter into this time of prayer and reflection, I pause to be still; to breathe slowly; to re-center my scattered senses upon the presence of God.

Holy and loving God, in this new season I invite you to shape my soul with your words and inspire my life with your works. Teach me to walk in the way of peace and grace. AMEN.

John 15:1-5

“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.

The second word we highlighted to summarize how the Apostle Paul articulated what fueled his transformation is INVESTMENT. Paul believed our relationship with Christ required constant investment. On Monday, we looked at one expression of that. He described his life’s central focus as, “I want to know Christ.”

Instead of the word “remain,” in verse 4, other translations use the word “abide” which means “to live in” or “dwell.” Christ is inviting us to find our home in him, but notice that he is also inviting us to life as well. As the vine, this is what he alone can provide. No life exists in a branch disconnected from the vine.

This time you are spending now is an investment in this life-giving relationship. How else are you doing that in your life right now? In what additional way might you deepen your investment in remaining in him?

Father, help me to live this day to the full, being true to You, in every way.

Spirit, help me to love the lost, proclaiming Christ in all I do and say.
Amen.

*Our opening and closing prayers are adapted from Lectio365, a mobile application developed by the 24-7 Prayer Network. To find out more about this resource, visit this link.