The Vine

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

Was reading this today in one of my devotionals.  

The part of it that stood out was the writer of it making the statement that it's the relationship not the activity that's important to Jesus.

We can be oh so busy trying to do this or do that for God, wholly intent on that purpose, yet miss the relationship.

The branches produce fruit from their association with the vine. From their relationship with the vine. As they received so they give. As he pointed out in that devotional, "He cautioned that if they ever attempted to live their Christian life apart from an intimate relationship with Him, they would discover that they ceased to produce any significant results. They might exert great effort for the kingdom of God, yet when they stopped to account for their lives, they would find only barrenness."

Seems to be a very direct tie in to the passage in Matthew 7 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’"

It's entirely possible to be so busy trying so hard to be doing this or that, to miss what's important.

Look at Mary n Martha. Luke 10.
"Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Are you doing so much that you neglect what's important?

I can remember a time when I got overeager to be involved with doing that I put the cart ahead of the horse.  I got so far ahead of God that I was the problem not the help.  I was now in quicksand in need of being saved instead of being in a position to help others. I was excited at first.  Thought I had it all figured out.  Wrong.  I was so very wrong.  I was missing the relationship.

I face many things today.  I am ashamed at times to admit that I still sometimes find myself on the wrong side of the cart.
At least now I think I am recognizing that and trying to get situated again.

I am not here to change people. That's God's job through the Holy Spirit.
I am not here to save people. That's the work of the Holy Spirit.
I am to be A light...not THE Light. Only Jesus is the Light of the world.  If anything I am a reflector of His Light.
I really do think Andrew had it right: Hey, here's Jesus! Come and see!

It's much easier when I remember that God causes the growth. Not me. I cannot grow unless I am being fed.  I am a branch. I am not the vine.  My relationship with God is everything to me.  It's not where I want it due to the sin nature in me but it is my goal and desire.