By Pastor Steve Nickodemus

What Are You Doing, God?

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking this SoundCloud link.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”
John 15:1-2 English Standard Version

You and I are branches joined to our Lord Jesus Christ. In Him we find forgiveness and eternal life.  Those who would separate themselves from Him separate themselves from His grace and peace and life. We rejoice in our connection with the true Vine, Jesus, and in Him we find our deepest needs met.

But if this is true, why do believers experience trials and temptations and hardship? Jesus tells us that the Father “prunes” those who are the Lord’s so that they “may bear more fruit.” In the same way that a good farmer prunes his fruit trees so that they bear more abundant fruit, so God uses the suffering of life to bring about growth and harvest in His people.

What does that fruit look like? The fruit is of two types. The first type is the fruit of the Spirit spoken of in Galatians 5:22-23. We go through suffering that we might grow in “love, joy, peace…”

The second type of fruit is the harvest Jesus speaks of in Matthew 9:38, “therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” As believers witness and make disciples, the fruit are the many who will come to know Jesus, who will be baptized into His name.

And so we rejoice, even in our trials, knowing that this is God’s good and gracious way to increase the fruit of Jesus’ character and the fruit of many disciples in our lives. Although suffering is never pleasant, the outcome is a closer relationship with Jesus and much fruit in our lives for eternity.

Thank you, Lord, for our being joined to Jesus and for the trials in our lives that bear abundant fruit. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church Colorado Springs, Colorado