The fruit-loaded peach tree compensated
for the previous year’s skimpy harvest.
But to our dismay a storm with high winds, thunder and lightning was
followed by torrential rains. The wind
wrenched the branches from the trees, narrowly missing the the bedroom window
by a few centimetres.
‘We will have to ask Peter to cut them
off,’ I said, anticipating our son-in-law’s help. But I sighed at the prospec tof losing the slowly-developing
peaches.
However, my wise husband beckoned me
outside. ‘Look, he said,’ that branch
is still attached to the trunk.’ ‘but it is only a small piece,’ I countered.
‘Yeds, but it is still connected to the
main trunk. We will wait to see the
outcome’.
Gloomily I mused, ‘that is the end of the
peach crop,’ never anticipating a surprise.
Severasl months later, by which time I
expected the branch to wither and die, the peaches began to develop. As the summer approached, and with the
summer heat, the peaches filled out and gradulayy turne pink. The crop that eventuated benefitted
familieds and friends, with preserves stored for the winter months.
Then to our surprise, from the large
branch, where the sap flowed, a tiny green shoot sprang, which grew into a
productive branch the following year. Neither rain, nor wind, thunder or
lightning detached that branch from the tree trunk.
Every christian faces storms. Sometimes, discouragement, or trials,
testings ( spiritual, physical and emotional ) sometimes bereavement, but when
attached to the trunk, nothing – NOTHING – can separate us from the One who
gives the spiritual sap for His fruit to develop in our christian life. God’s fruit is love, joy, patience,
meekness, humility, peace and all the holy characteristics that flow from close
attachment to Jesus Christ, who is the Trunk or the Vine.
Spiritual
sap flows from the vine, produces the sap of the life of Christ enabling fruit
inour life. God p[urposes a crop
fromus, and the fruit matures as we abide in the One who supplies the life-sap
of the Holy Spirit. Abiding is not
passive, for it involves interaction, and results in fruit. As we read the Scriptures, obey as we read,
and apploy god’s truth to our lives, we restr in the Vine, and the crop
pl;eases our Lord, and blresses others.
Yes, the sap enables the branch of our
peach tree to grow and develop. How
much more are we able to grow in faith as we are attached to THE VINE Who
supplies the spiritual sap to strengthen and produce fruit.
Despite life’s storms Johnwrote,
‘I
Am the the vine, you are the branches.
If a man remainds in Me, He will bear much fruit: apart fromMe you can
do nothing.’ ( John15:5 )