Abide in the Vine

I love to have fresh-cut flowers in a vase in my home.

They seem to just brighten a space and provide a little glimpse of Eden. There are so many types of blooms to enjoy, and many are fragrant with sweet nectar. Placed in a lovely vase and displayed in a sunny spot, they are nature’s mood lifter.

There is only one problem with fresh-cut flowers—they do not last forever. They die. When we snip the flowers from our garden and bring them in for our enjoyment, we cut them off from their life source. Their leaves begin to shrivel, and their petals become brittle. The colors fade, and they wilt in defeat. It is a sad sight to behold, and yet we continue to bring in fresh-cut blooms. Just as blossoms need life-giving nourishment to survive, we need the life-giving nourishment that comes from being connected to Jesus. If we cut ourselves off from Him, we begin to shrivel and die spiritually. It may not happen right away, but it will eventually happen. How do we cut ourselves off from Him? We may begin to pull back from things like attending church, small groups, Bible study, or even personal prayer.

We grab the occasional verse of the day to keep the proverbial water in our vase, but that is not enough to keep us alive spiritually.

We must be attached to the Vine to bear more fruit and stay alive spiritually. We must remain in the Vine to produce fruit. A branch cannot grow new fruit if it is cut off from the vine, just as we cannot grow any new spiritual fruit unless we abide in, or remain connected to, the Vine. Do you know what you will never see? A flower stem that has been cut off and removed from its life source growing new blooms. It must have continual nourishment to thrive. The nourishment we need comes from Jesus. He is the Vine, and we are the branches (see John 15:5). Keep connected to the vine and be fruitful. Grow continuously and thrive in Jesus. He is the Life-Giver, the Source of life. The next time you enjoy having fresh-cut flowers in your home, see it as a reminder to stay connected to the heavenly Vine.

Cyndi Woods