As we enter a new year a common desire is that we want our lives to be fruitful. We want to be productive and make a contribution to those around us. In John 15 Jesus gives a beautiful picture of the vine and branches and instructs His disciples that the branches may only bear fruit as they abide in the vine. Jesus instructs His disciples,
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. (John 15:4)
We may understand this principle but too often we find it convenient to act independent of the true vine. This is especially true for those who are highly talented. Their attitude is “God, I can handle this but if I get into trouble I’ll give you a call.” Or when the pressure is on then we want to reconnect with the true vine. But Jesus reiterates the promise with a solemn warning in the next verse,
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 15:5)
Did you catch that last statement? Apart from Jesus you can do nothing! If you really believe the veracity of that statement then you must be totally dependent upon Jesus. If you desire to be fruitful then your every thought and your every action must be connected to the true vine – Jesus.
Andrew Murray captures the significance of this verse as he writes, “If I am something, then God is not everything; but when I become nothing, God can become all, and the everlasting God in Christ can reveal Himself fully. “ He continues with this advice, “Workers, here is your first lesson: learn to be nothing, learn to be helpless. The man who has got something is not absolutely dependent; but the man who has got nothing is absolutely dependent. Absolute dependence upon God is the secret of all power in work. The branch has nothing but what it gets from the vine, and you and I can have nothing but what we get from Jesus” (Absolute Surrender). How can we develop this absolute dependence? In a word – humility.
Is your life characterized by absolute dependence upon Jesus?
Professor of Discipleship, Columbia International University
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