~Grapes, Vines, Branches~

Rather,

Vine

Branches

Grapes…

Extremely healthy for us to eat. When i took this picture, i remember thinking how yummy they looked… but…were they as yummy as they looked?

Memories flooded my mind of my Grandmother and Great Grandparent’s home in Virginia. Gardening was part of life. To see 4 gardens on their land at any given time was no surprise at all. Not to mention the grape vines, the wild black berries on Flag Mountain, the strawberries, what delight! Just as it is with any thing good and tasteful in this life-climate, soil, temperature, vines, branches, weather and so on are all so vital to a grape’s existence and delightful enjoyment on the taste buds.

I am a fruit lover, so obviously grapes are a delicious treat to me. The sweetness and delicious factor is determined after a process, as mentioned before all in the atmosphere must be just right for the best pick.

There are various types of grapes to be considered two general are grapes to the west of the Rockies and that climate, in addition to those of the east of the Rockie Mountains which are mostly Concord grapes. I am no authority on grapes and growing grapes, but have been studying how to grow grapes in case i ever want to grow some in my back yard.

if there is too much or not enough sun light the grapes wither wither or the leaves overcrowd causing too much shade along with places for insects etc., to take over. Too much shade prohibits the grape from ripening properly then there will be less desirable fruit on the vine… so training the vines and pruning them from time to time is of utmost importance. The vine must be healthy, perfect, strong and in essence “wise” so the branches will “droop” or hang off the vine in just the right way for the sun and water to process correctly giving the grapes their sweetness.

Thinking and studying nature and the outdoors always reminds of a Greater Power…the Greatest, the One and only God worthy of credit for the picture of how followers of Christ can live an alive, “sweet” fruitful life…obviously not all elements of our lives will be always be perfect, but we are branches to the Perfect Vine…therefore it is secure to say, without Him we can do nothing. With Him all things are possible!

We wither away when we “grow” in our own strength. Something else revealed to me is when i have tasted fruit whether it be grapes, black berries or strawberries, the sweetest and juiciest ones have always been grouped with several other fruits on the same branch. A grape in particular has multiple grapes clustered together…attached for a reason. When the branch is connected to the healthy strong vine of course it will produce much fruit. If the vine and branches are both healthy, the ripening process flows through to all the fruits on the vine correctly affording proper nutrients to each fruit, displaying a beautiful royal color that is appealing to the eye and fragrant beyond measure!

My hope and desire is to be consistently healthy and connected to The Vine, to abide in Him— as my hope is to bear much fruit for Him.

~Abide~

To put up with; tolerate (To tolerate the pruning-the cutting back of self replaced with His love)

To wait patiently for (To wait on Christ and His guidance)

To withstand (To withstand the outside elements of this world-it can be so harsh at times)

To remain in a place. (To remain on the vine and stand firm on His Truths)

To continue to be sure or firm; endure. (Faith and confidence in His strength and power as The Real Vine)

To dwell or sojourn. (To journey with others, not alone or just my family at home…or just my local church…the hope is to journey with other expressions of The Church)

---

Are you “growing” on your own? Do you feel as though you are dry and withering at times? Find others who are alive and vibrant! Please don’t feel intimidated—for that matter don’t compare your life to theirs and be negative, ask them how they thrive? Most will be happy to pass on what/Who they know…

Would you desire to abide more in Christ?

John 15:5-8 specifically recalls Jesus stating:

“I am the vine and you are the branches. He who abides in Me and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and withered; and they gather them and throw then into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”

The Message by Eugene Peterson shares these verses to mean…

Chapter 15:1-8

“I am the Real Vine and My Father is the Farmer. He cuts off every branch of me that doesn’t bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing He prunes back so it will bear even more. you are already pruned back by the message i have spoken. Live in me. Make your home in Me just as i do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with Me.”

“I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with Me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from Me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and My words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who He is–when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples.”

Vine, Branch, Grapes…