Flourish: Creating Space to ThriveSample

Connected to the Vine

Several years ago, my friend offered me some shoots from her thornless blackberry vine. I had no idea if I could keep them alive, but I love blackberries, so I was eager to try. She brought me several little branches that had sprouted up next to her thriving vine. I placed the pot in my garden where my irrigation system (ahem, super basic backyard sprinkler) would water them every day.

For two years I waited, almost tossing them in the trash more than once. It appeared I’d done what I often do—killed the poor little plants.

Then one day, they began to put out leaves. Maybe they weren’t dead after all. I transplanted them from their pot to one of my raised garden beds. The sun shone on them every day. The sprinkler watered them all summer long. Still no fruit.

The following year, however, the plants went crazy. My husband built a trellis to keep the vines in the bed, and we watched with amazement as the buds blossomed into flowers, the flowers became green berries, and the green berries ripened into juicy black fruit.

At first, I rationed those ripe berries. I collected fruit for several days until I finally had enough to make a cobbler. Little did I know those vines would grow heavy with berries once they really started producing. By the end of the summer, we froze them because we just couldn’t eat any more.

I love watching plants flourish as God designed them. Our gardening Father loves helping us thrive, too. Yet what’s easy to see in the garden can be hard to remember in the Christian life: we can only thrive as we live connected to our Source.

In John 15, Jesus uses the picture of a vine and branches to talk about the importance of abiding in Him. The vine is the life source for each branch, connecting it to the soil’s nutrients, and carrying life-giving food throughout the plant. Without this connection, no branch can survive, much less produce berries.

I’ve seen this time and again in my own little garden. When I cut a branch from the vine, within a day that branch shrivels and dies. Producing fruit is an absolute impossibility, for the life of the vine is what creates fruit on the branches.

Jesus is our vine, and we are His branches. As He lives His life through us, we will flourish. His Spirit’s fruit will grow in and through us. If we try to produce fruit for God, however, we’ll wonder why we feel dry and empty inside, and why this Christian life is so ridiculously hard.

Human effort cannot produce the fruit of the Spirit. We can do lots of good works, but good works are not the same as spiritual fruit.

As I mentioned in the previous devotion, for many years I maintained the discipline of daily Bible reading and prayer. When I closed my Bible each day, practically speaking, I ended my connection to Christ. I tried hard to be loving and joyful, peace-filled, patient and kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled, yet I struggled to maintain this try-harder life. I wondered at Jesus’ offer of abundant life and secretly doubted His promise of soul rest for the weary. I even remember being reluctant to share the gospel with my friends because, inwardly, I felt bad inviting them to the burdensome life I was living.

After my good-girl life fell apart, God shifted my perspective on how to live the Christian life. He taught me that daily life is about relating to Him, not behaving for Him. From the overflow of this relationship, He produces the fruit of His Spirit through my yielded life.

So whether I’m reading the Bible or cooking dinner, I can engage in conversation with Him. When I struggle to handle a difficult situation, I can pray for wisdom and respond however He directs me. When I'm running on fumes, I can ask His Spirit to fill me and help me live beyond my momentary feelings.

Walking through life connected to His Spirit—this is the only source of our thriving. And because He is Emmanuel—God with us—we can live in the reality of His presence every moment of every day.

Personal Reflection:

Are you living connected to God's Spirit in your everyday spaces? How can you practically draw from Him as your Source today?

Prayer of Response:

Lord, You are both the Gardener of my heart and the Vine who is my Source. Teach me to walk with You in the everyday. Renew my thinking so my life can be transformed. Produce Your abundant fruit through me. Help me live connected to You so I can flourish.