Ever feel weary? or worthless? or powerless? or unproductive? – listless? lifeless? If you are feeling any or all of these things, chances are you may be a branch without a vine. Oh, maybe you were attached to a vine at some point in your past, but now you find yourself disconnected, distant and alone. You no longer have the energy to be productive. You find you have lost your place and your purpose in life. You, my friend, are a branch without a vine. (not unlike a rebel without a cause)

A branch on its own doesn’t last very long, does it? It soon withers and dies without producing whatever fruit it might have produced had it stayed connected to the vine. But a branch connected to a vine, lives, and not only lives but thrives, growing strong and producing much fruit. This must be why Jesus told His disciples –

“I am the Vine; you are the branches. If a man (branch) remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” (John 15:5-6)

This word picture of a vine that gives life to every branch connected to it, helps me to understand why I feel so devoid of energy, ability, strength, direction, wisdom and purpose when I don’t stay connected to Jesus, who clearly said that He is The Vine – the source of all life. Connected to Him, I want for nothing, but have everything I need in abundance. Jesus’s supply is infinite – it will never run out. That must be why, as The Vine, Jesus issues this invitation to you and to me –

“Remain 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.” (John 15:4)

Other translations say, “abide in Me and I will abide in you.” The idea is the same either way. It is the possibility of a constant connection as a way of life that is being offered to me and to you. Too good to be true? Yes. But true, nonetheless. We branches are invited to live connected to the true Vine, Jesus Christ. In Acts Paul explains it this way saying,

“For in Him (Jesus) we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28)

That describes life lived “abiding” and “remaining” not only close to, but connected to the true Vine, who is Jesus. When I start to become disconnected from the Vine, for whatever reason, I feel myself weakening, as I am no longer receiving the nutrients the Vine provides me continuously. But as long as I stay connected, I have everything I need in order to live a productive life and bear much fruit. Paul reminded the Philippians of this when he said to them –

“And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)

A branch is created to live connected to a vine. A branch on its own dies. So for a branch, finding a suitable vine is a matter of life or death. And there are a lot of vines out there that may appear to be able to sustain life, but in the end, it turns out that they can’t deliver what they promised. The world is full of these false vines. That’s probably why Jesus was clear with His disciples when He said to them –

“I am the true Vine, and My Father is the gardener. He 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.” (John 15:1-2)

I wonder if that’s why I sometimes become disconnected from the Vine? I want to avoid the painful process of pruning. I see it coming and I go in search of a vine with a more benevolent gardener – one who will leave me alone and let me do my own thing. Of course, left alone to my own devices (or vices) I will surely wither and die. Pruning is part of a caring gardener’s task. Even though pruning is not pleasant at the time, but actually quite painful, it is for the branch’s good. It is for my good, too, as a branch connected to Jesus. Pruning helps the branches to grow stronger and to be more productive. It will do the same for me, if I stay connected to the Vine.

As a branch in God’s garden, on His living Vine, I find my place and my purpose – to bear fruit – fruit for God’s kingdom. Jesus told His followers –

“This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples.” (John 15:8)

The community and connection I crave, I find with all the other branches as I abide in Jesus, the true Vine. When I feel my strength or my faith fading, I realize in those moments that my connection is weakening and I may be disengaging from the Vine, turning my attention and focusing my efforts elsewhere. My joy and peace and gratitude slowly began to ebb away as I cease to “remain” or “abide” in the Vine. It is in these times that I realize I am losing my connection and I need to return and reconnect with the Vine, the source of all life.

Remaining or abiding implies permanence, implies constant, unbroken communion between branch and Vine. That’s what is necessary for me to live a “fruitful” life. Apart from the Vine, I can’t do anything lasting or worth doing. I’m glad Jesus offers me a permanent place on the Vine. I don’t have to worry about being let go – unless I’m the one that lets go. But that would be a foolish choice on my part, since apart from the Vine, I perish.

As a beloved branch on Jesus’s Vine, I have a permanent place and He supplies everything I need. The vines on the other side of the fence may appear greener, but they are not. Most branches learn that by experience and return to abide in the true Vine. Still, keeping connected remains a challenge as there are many things in this world that actively seek to separate, we, the branches, from our Vine. Good thing that when I am too weak to hold on to the Vine, the Vine holds onto me. I find this promise from Romans sums it up perfectly,

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? . . . No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35-39)

thank You, Heavenly Father, for Your promise that nothing in all creation will separate this branch – me – from the true Vine, You.

sincerely, Grace Day