Bearing Fruit
I spent much of my weekend celebrating, and reflecting on another year of life lived. I've been counting and inventorying blessings, and I've marveled at the fruit that's blossomed and grown over the years. I have been so grateful. And yet, I sang these words on Sunday, and was reminded once again that not one fruitful moment of my life is on account of my own wisdom or faithfulness:
...Now, Lord, I would be Yours alone And live so all might see The strength to follow Your commands Could never come from me O Father, use my ransomed life In any way You choose And let my song forever be My only boast is You
Hallelujah! All I have is Christ Hallelujah! Jesus is my life
(Lyrics from All I Have Is Christ)
For all our cleverness, determination, great desire, and abilities, we simply cannot produce fruit on our own. And when we think we can, we wear ourselves out trying.
The most wearisome, unsatisfying, joy-less times in my life have been seasons of self-reliance, vanity, and pride. They have been attempts at producing luscious fruit with a branch broken from the tree; they were times when I assumed I had HIM, rather than trusting that He had ME.
We were not meant to ever leave our Savior's side, to ever walk alone, nor to bear fruit on our own.
“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." John 15:5
No matter what we think we have, we really have nothing if it is not Christ, himself. When he has us, he bears fruit in us.
I'm drawing close, today, to the vine...to the source from which I can bear fruit. All I have is Christ.
Join me everyday this month for the Drawing Close series.
Day 1: Drawing Close Intro Day 2: A Portrait Day 3: Parts of A Whole Day 4: Be Strong and Courageous Day 5: A World Where There Are Octobers {My Birthday} Day 6: Keep Moving Forward Day 7: Bearing Fruit Day 8: Day 9: Day 10: Day 11: Day 12: Day 13: Day 14: Day 15: Day 16: Day 17: Day 18: Day 19: Day 20: Day 21: Day 22: Day 23: Day 24: Day 25: Day 26: Day 27: Day 28: Day 29: Day 30: Day 31: