Stay

I was doing the spring clean-up thing today in our landscape. Twenty years in the nursery business doesn't make it any more fun, maybe just a little quicker and easier. We just moved to our present home last September so I haven't spent much time working on the outside of our house. There is a big island in our front yard. It has several mature trees and some HUGE rocks and a small pond. There are all kinds of shrubs, perennials and herbs planted throughout the island. I was pruning, trimming, weeding and raking out the fallen leaves from last fall. As I was working in the landscape John 15 just kept coming to my mind. I understand it so well but applying it, not so much.

John 15:1-5
¹"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ²He 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. ³You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴Remain 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. ⁵"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

God is our gardener. He gets his hands dirty working in our lives. It is the hands of God that plant, water, weed and prune. Hands that are intimately familiar with the dirty soil of this world. Hands that dig in deep, that hold up straight, that carefully inspect and provide every need. God does not garden from a distance. It is in his intimate presence that we grow.

He then watches and works, cuts and prunes. Cutting and pruning causes pain and loss. Sometimes this seems so cruel and careless, but it is essential. Fruitless branches steal nutrients and energy that the rest of the plant needs. Healthy, fruitful branches need to be kept in check so they remain strong and in turn produce more fruit.

Next comes our job. It couldn't be any simpler. Stay connected to Jesus, the vine. STAY. Before we go, we stay. Before we grow we stay. The Vine knows exactly what it must do. The Gardner knows exactly what he must do. All the branch needs to do is stay. It is when we stay that we will know. Our job couldn't be any simpler. All we have to do is stay. Remain, abide, stay. It's amazing how I struggle and strive and stray when all I've been asked to do is stay. The promise is clear. Stay with me, connect with me, draw your life from me and you will grow and bear fruit. When that happens we have something of worth to offer this world. We have grown, we have changed. We are not supposed to be the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. That's God's job!
Our job is to stay in Him, grow and give what has been freely given to us.

The Gardner's job is never done. Just when things begin to grow and bring life, disease enters in, weeds sprout up, rain doesn't come, and to top it off, a dog comes and pees all over me. It's not just the elements and the environment. I know I don't help much. I refuse to stay still. I refuse to grow. I refuse to remain. I refuse to trust the gardener.

Why am I so intent on taking care of myself when I'm told I can do nothing apart from Him? Why do I work so hard trying to create a life that is safe and comfortable? Why do words like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control seem more like good ideas than actual realities in my life? Why do I find it so difficult to trust the one who planted me and desires what's best for me? Why don't I just stay?