Daily Devotion for Wednesday 9th July 2025

St John 15: 1 – 11

Jesus said “‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower.  He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit.  You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you.  Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.  I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.  Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.  If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.  My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.  As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.  If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.  I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

Reflection
 
So says a sign hanging in my kitchen – a gift from my sister-in-law. This being the first thing that came into my mind as I read this passage!

In February, I decided that I wanted to start a new gym programme – nothing serious, just to get into better condition and feel better about myself. As a family (my husband and two teenage daughters [my son is still too young to join the gym]) we regularly went to gym, attended the classes, so I didn’t have to think, and really enjoyed myself. But now I wanted to get more serious. So, I had the gym owner personalise a programme for me and now I go more regularly – at least four times a week. I feel so much better in myself – physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Which actually has me drinking less wine because I want to remain healthy; an unconscious choice, I might add!

I wanted ‘to continue to be in a place for a significant amount of time’* and isn’t that what Jesus is saying here? As people grafted onto the vine, we draw our nourishment from the main branch, and as we try to stay healthy, to stay in relationship with one another, to stay in and grow our relationship with Christ, to share that relationship with other people around us, we need ‘to continue to be in a place for a significant amount of time’, that place for me being to abide in Christ, to sojourn# with him until I feel more physically, spiritually and emotionally stable#. A place where I can gladly bear fruit and in so doing share that relationship I have, that love I have for Christ, with all those around me.

 *According to www.merriam-webster.com the definition of ‘remain’

#All synonyms for abide.

Prayer

Vine grower God,
thank you for grafting us into you as your branches,
your people called to bear fruit and show your love to all those around us.
As we sojourn with you may we continue to be in you,
as your joy becomes a reality in our lives. Amen.