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.
And
“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. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also 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 15:1-4 NIV)
God you have been humbling me and reminding me you are God and I am not, you are savior and I am not, you are in control and I am not. God you are the Gardner. Jesus is the vine and my place is as a branch in the vine. You call us first to abide in you. In you Jesus you say without question we will bear much fruit, but apart from abiding in Jesus we can do nothing.
It's amazing the strength of this statement either you will abide or not and directly consequential you will absolutely either bear fruit or not. Now I am a little confused on what this fruit is, but I am sure it is good: repentance, growth, witness, love etc.
But Lord I confess I have not been abiding in you. And I feel I have not been bearing fruit. Now that's probably a little extreme but I think there have been days or a few weeks where I really haven't abided in you Jesus. God I have felt the pain and loss of not abiding in you. But I have been lost and stuck in despair. I have been walking in darkness and I have forgotten my way home to you. Lord would you guide me back to you. For you are hope and life and truth and love. In you there is not a shadow of darkness. God I desire to dwell in your presence. I long to live in your city and find citizenship with you in your kingdom. Let me dwell in the house of The Lord all the days of my life and forever.
Amen
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