I Am the Vine, You Are the Branches

"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can no nothing."
(John 15:5)

I want you to realize the relationship that is represented here - it is a type of covenant exchange - our weaknesses exchanged for His strengths. I know that may seem like a stretch because we are talking about vines and branches. But I want you to understand this image fully.

"He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit." To abide means to dwell, to live within. The exchange here indicates to me that there is ONENESS in the relationship. The fruit is a natural result -it is 'born' of this shared relationship.

Isn't it interesting that John equates our relationship with Jesus to that between a vine and its branches? Why would he use that imagery? Because there is a power source - a life source - that flows through the vine that has no other choice but to produce branches, blossoms and fruit! Apart from the vine's life source, the branch will wither and die. It will become a mere stick - not the fruit bearing branch it was created for!

It is God's power that flows through us replacing our weaknesses with His strength, our certain death with His life. It is God's life-giving power that flows through us and produces the fruit - the evidence - of His Holy Spirit.

And apart from Him, we can do nothing - no branches, no sweet smelling flowers and certainly no fruit.

Just sticks. Yep, just sticks.

Lord, keep me attached to Your life-giving power. Let Your Holy Spirit flow through me making me a strong and sturdy branch. Let my life yield a bountiful harvest of fruit for Your Kingdom. Thank You, Lord.