Sharpened Together - 11 November

In John 15:1-2, Jesus says:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”

Spring brings a great boost to the garden. The season changes from me willing on green growth to me trying to keep up with the weeding, mowing, pruning and shaping. But some plants inexplicably still don’t grow!

The Bible contains many images of a garden, with God as the ultimate gardener.

Humanity’s story starts in the Garden of Eden. In Genesis 2, God places Adam in the garden to work it and take care of it.

And the Bible’s story comes full circle in Revelation 22:1-2, where we see the river of the water of life and the tree of life bearing fruit, bringing healing to the nations.

From Eden to the new creation, gardens are part of God’s story – a picture of life, growth, provision and relationship with Him.

With the famous ‘vine and branches’ scripture in mind - God isn’t simply interested in keeping us alive or comfortable. He wants us to grow, mature and bear fruit.

But growth requires attention. Weeds need removing. Some things need pruning. Old habits, misplaced priorities, pride, complacency and distractions can all choke the growth God wants to see in our lives. And pruning isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes God challenges us to let go of things we have become attached to, so that something better can grow.

Gardening also requires patience. You can’t rush growth. You can prepare the soil, plant the seed, water it and give it the right conditions, but ultimately you have to allow time for things to grow.

Perhaps the same is true of our Christian faith. We can sometimes become frustrated with ourselves or others when we don’t see immediate change. But God is at work, often beneath the surface, long before the fruit becomes visible.

As Paul writes in Galatians 5:22-23, the fruit of the Spirit includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
These are the things that should increasingly characterise our lives as men of faith.

A challenge: 
Don’t just ask God to help you grow. Give Him permission to get into the garden of your life – to challenge you, reshape you and remove whatever is preventing you from fully becoming the man He calls you to be.

An encouragement:
Keep investing in your relationship with God. Be intentional about growing in faith, but be patient with the process. God is the gardener, and He knows what He is growing in you.

Blessings!