“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
(John 15:5)
In the last days Jesus spent with his disciples before his crucifixion, he sought to reinforce the connection of faith he had established with them over the previous few years. Most had left everything to follow him. He knew their commitment would be challenged by the events about to unfold. In the previous chapter he had tried to encourage them by promising the presence of the Holy Spirit to sustain them in everything they faced. He then makes a strong statement in today's text about the connection they share that will empower their action. He is the source of their strength and vitality. Connected to him, they will be fruitful. Disconnected, however, they can accomplish nothing.
We know this principle to be true in the electrified world in which we live today. Refrigerators won't keep food fresh, televisions can't be watched, cell phones can't be depended on if they are not connected to the source of power that energizes them. Occasional blackouts remind us of our dependence on the kind of power that fuels these modern conveniences.
Jesus Christ empowers the spirit and energizes the soul with a hope that is not generated by any other source. "Apart from me, you can do nothing,' he says. He's right, for the call to take up our cross and follow Him daily can be fueled only by his strength.
Prayer: May the faith that binds us to you, grow stronger and stronger each day, O Lord, as we take up the cross of Christ. Amen.
Jim Abernathy
No comments:
Post a Comment