“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:1-5
There is something deep within human flesh that wants to try really hard to do something for God. However, this passage reminds us that we can do nothing apart from God. The Christian life is not about me living for Jesus; the Christian life is about Jesus living His life in and through me, out of the overflow of my abiding in Him. Fruit, then, is simply the life of Jesus in me being lived through me…it is not my work, but His life. Today, abide in Him and let Him bear fruit – His life – in and through your life. This perspective leads Jesus followers to live in humble dependence on Jesus for everything. In all things, we need Him!
Are you trying to perform for Jesus, or are you allowing Him to live in and through you?
