Dec. 2: Abound - Greg Gallaher
“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” (John 15:4-5).
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The story I’m about to tell you occurred nearly fifty years ago when I was nineteen years old. Connie and I were engaged to be married. As a favor to my future mother-in-law, I volunteered to mow her yard. Alongside the driveway was a vineyard that had been carefully tended for many years. From the annual harvest of grapes, Connie’s mama made juice for her family and the monthly communion service at their rural United Methodist Church. These vines still bear fruit today.
Now I had pushed a lawnmower more times than I could count as a boy. What I had never used before was a weed eater, a fairly new contraption back in 1975. Connie’s dad had a big, gas-powered one for the farm. When that thing was cranked up and running, it could take down a small tree. It was an amazing piece of machinery.
As I trimmed the weeds along the fencerow, I whacked off one of those grapevines almost to the ground. I was horrified. The branches were loaded with beautiful, ripening grapes, and I had severed the vine. What on earth was I to do?
Telling Connie’s mama was unthinkable at that moment, so I tried to do a miraculous grafting of the vine. I thought, maybe if I press the vine back into place the sap will starting flowing and the vine will start to heal and it will be okay. And for a while that seemed possible, but when I checked on it later the leaves had already begun to wilt. By late afternoon the leaves had curled and the vine began to die. Days later, the grapes were gone. I learned an unforgettable lesson that day—branches can’t produce fruit apart from the vine.
In the final hours of his life, Jesus taught his disciples a parable that was deeply rooted in Jewish life and identity. It contained a secret that every Christian needs to understand. To abound with the fruit of the Spirit, one must first abide in him. “Abide in me as I abide in you,” Jesus says. To abide means “to dwell in or to be joined with.” It’s about being centered and having roots that go deep into Christ.
Why is this ongoing connection so important? Because as Jesus said, “…apart from me you can do nothing.” There are lots of things we can do in life without God. There are lots of accomplishments we can attain in life without even thinking about God. Of course, what Jesus is talking about is a different kind of fruit. Fruit that lasts. Fruit that’s real. Fruit that’s the byproduct of this life-giving relationship with him.
As we walk this journey to Bethlehem, Christians are reminded to tend the vineyard of their souls. To give time to abiding with Christ through the inner disciplines of worship, prayer, Bible study, reading, solitude, meditation, and journaling SO THAT we can abound in the work of the Lord in our service to others—full of hope, peace, joy, and love.
Here are three Scriptures that might help you live with the tension between contemplation (the inner life) and celebration (the outer life) during Advent.
“Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God, above politics, above everything” (Psalm 46:10 The Message).
“So, my dear brothers and sisters, since future victory is sure, be strong and steady, always abounding in the Lord’s work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever wasted as it would be if there were no resurrection” (1 Corinthians 15:58 TLB).
“... the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23 NRSV).
PRAYER
Lord, I want an abundant life that abounds with the fruit of the Holy Spirit, but it seems that I am easily distracted and derailed by the holidays. Help me to stay increasingly connected to Jesus during Advent—for apart from him I can do nothing. Amen.
Greg Gallaher
Visit Greg’s devotional online to see the complete devotion with images