Under the influence of Christ (2)

Monday, June 7, 2021

Under the influence of Christ (2)

“He who abides in Me and in whom I abide bears much fruit.” John 15. 5

What is God’s favorite pruning tool ? His word. The letter to the Hebrews tells us : “The word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the point of separating soul and spirit, joints and marrow” (Hebrews 4:12). As we read the word of God, God begins by removing what is bad and interferes with our spiritual maturity, and then, when this task is completed, He cuts out what is good, but which prevents the best from developing. How does the branch bear fruit ? By working hard ? By imitating others ? Only by remaining attached to Jesus, by letting Him penetrate into us like the sap that flows in the branches of the vine. James Merritt illustrates this truth with a simple analogy : if you put a tea bag in a cup of hot water, after a minute or two you can see the water take on a characteristic hue, that of the tea leaves of the bag. The taste of water also changes and the water gradually turns into tea. The longer you leave the sachet in the cup, the stronger the taste and appearance of the tea will become. It sounds like the influence of Christ in us. The longer He abides in us and we abide in Him, the more His influence will be felt, and the more we will reflect His character. Notice that it is not the branch that produces the fruit. She just wears it. It is the vine which produces the fruit, which causes the sap to rise through the branch. The secret is simple : abide in Jesus and let Him abide in you !

Source (His Word for Today)