“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 15:5)
If a branch is not attached to the vine, it withers and dies. I don’t think on this visual much in the cold winters of Northern Virginia. Mainly, because trees and vines lay bare. And, often snow capped. Therefore, my thoughts go more to, “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” (Isaiah 1:18 ESV)
Great thought! Maybe greatest of all thoughts! Yet, as Spring peeks just outside my windows my thoughts begin to pause and wonder, did that tree or vine make it through the freeze? Did the elements from the cold bruise, damage or clearly break the branches that 👀 so sad and barren among the greens, pinks, yellows and purples? I stare and wonder is it possible for the branch that looks so out of place barely hanging on going to make it? I rush to snap a tiny portion to see if maybe I will see life inside the dead brown look?
As warm days pass and I see a vine full of blossoms and fruit with a barren brown dead branch tucked in among the beauty and edible fruit I must say it takes no thought to say, cut it out. “If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned.…” (John 15:6)
As I thoughtfully write today, Easter Monday, I think how children from all walks of life will gather at The White House to search for colored eggs and maybe shake hands with The POTUS and First Lady. Maybe we as Christians should be as diligent and joyful to be invited into The House, The Temple of the Living God, and search for edible colorful 🍉 🍐🍋🍍🥝🥝🍇🍇! How many did you find? Did you win a trophy or other award?
Lets make our thoughts thoughtful?
thedailylily.com 
“Maybe we as Christians should be as diligent and joyful to be invited into The House, The Temple of the Living God, and search for edible colorful 🍉 🍐🍋🍍🥝🥝🍇🍇”
This suggestion of Sara’s helps clarify for me what ‘abiding’ or ‘remaining’ in the Vine means. It sure doesn’t sound like we sit in a chair passively and hope we grow some fruit. Diligence sounds like work and putting our gifts to work in the right place for the growth of the body of Christ. It reminds me of this from Proverbs 13:4: “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.” And joyful says to me appreciation and having an attitude of gratitude.
I watched some honey bees this afternoon search and work very hard gathering nectar from tree blossoms. I thought, if it wasn’t for their diligent searching and pollinating, many trees would never produce good fruit. And what good is an apple tree with no fruit? Well, I understand it makes good firewood.
I first heard the words that I referred to in my above statement ‘attitude of gratitude’ in a book by Sara, “The Four Bees, Finding Your Spiritual Gifts” and I wanted to share them in context of what she wrote in her chapter titled “The Bee of Blooming – Perennial Profusion”. This portion of the chapter is about producing fruit and I think pertains to what she wrote in her blog above.
“Blooming is the time of greatest beauty; bearing fruit; prospering. At this stage you find that the fibers of your soul have become veins of gold/goals. Your mind has been trained and infused to think on these things; ‘things that are true and honorable, just, lovely and lovable, kind and gracious.’ As you think on these things you are birthing an attitude of gratitude. Your’e being grateful. When this happens to you, you are in the process of changing your old nature, producing fruit, joy, love, peace, contentment.”
Thanks Debi for the reminder to keep my mind in training. The battles within so often rages against the beauty of grandeur of the soon coming King! 👑
I visited MG, one of our regular writers, in a nursing/rehab facility yesterday. I was reading our blog to her when I looked up and her eyes were totally focused outside her window. I finished reading, I waited for our thoughts to take root. MG in a breath taking expression said, “move over in this direction, look outside my window.” Being early spring with colors jumping right before my eyes daily I jumped to see yellow, purple or pink. 🐿🐇🕊🌸🌺……🦉 Please join ‘in her view’ by taking a thoughtful glance at the photo I quickly snapped at her request. (Photo in blog)
I believe my basket of eternal fruit 🍉 grew as the Son via the Spirit made a perfect ‘nature painting’ to confirm my blogging. Would I be the dead branch and not the fruit if I had not taken my show on the road? !🍇🐣🐥 A thoughtful thought!