Struggle?
It was about 1998 and my friend Kevin took me to an event at Hatfield Church, where Floyd McClung, author of "The Father Heart of God" and missionary with YWAM was speaking. He displayed a photo of a big vine on the city walls in Jerusalem and described the evening that Jesus walked from the upper room to to the Garden of Gethsemane. In the flickering torchlight it is very feasible that Jesus paused at a vine like this and spoke the words written in the passage below:| 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, and I will 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 anyone remains in me and I in them, they will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John15:1-3) |
Having read these words, Floyd McClung asked a simple question:
"Have you seen a branch struggling to bear fruit?"
You see, I can try hard to be patient.
I can work really hard at being kind.
I can spend hours doing relaxation exercises to find peace.
And sometimes, when I am missing the Key Ingredient, this hard work and huge effort can become frantic, desperate and, worst of all, fruitless.
So, what is the "Key Ingredient"?
The Key Ingredient is connection to the Vine.
Relationship with Jesus.
Remaining in Him.
If we are in relationship with Jesus, living our lives in His presence, abiding in His love and allowing His Holy Spirit (the powerful energy we talked about two days ago) to work in us, we will bear fruit. Apart from Him we can do nothing!
Now don't hear me wrong. I'm not advocating that we waft along in an ethereal mystical relationship with Jesus and expect everything to be done for us. Our reading from Colossians two days ago made it clear: When God's energy works in me, I become energised and energetic.
A branch obtains nutrient and dna from the vine, but its cells replicate and mutate, the branch is working, but the energy and impetus comes from the vine.
The closer I get to Jesus, the greater my motivation and the greater my energy. The difference is that the loneliness and desperation that often accompanies "self-help" is gone. I work hard. I fast and exercise and practise discipline, but I am assured that I am loved, I am assured that I am not alone, I know that I am forgiven when I fail and I have hope.
He is at work in me!
