If you live in America, and if you’ve been blessed with a loving family, financial security, and a strong group of friends, it is possible to go several days without reflecting on our need for God. It is possible to buy into the illusion that we are in control; that we direct our future, and that life will continue to play out in our favor. But I would challenge you to train yourself to embrace the truth. The truth is that apart from God, we can do nothing. If we do not remain in him, we can’t bear any fruit. And if we are not able to bear fruit we are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. Jesus reminded us of this in John, chapter 15, verse 4 through 6, which says:
“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 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. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.”
Every believer wants to bear fruit. We want to grow in our faith, we want to obey his commands and we want to be used by him. To do this we must remain in him. As true as “without faith it is impossible to please God”, if we do not remain in him we can do nothing. We need to understand and embrace our complete and total dependence on the one who not only saved our soul but who also gives us life. Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. A branch out of contact with the vine is lifeless. It is dead. Jesus is our source of life for today and for eternity. Earlier in the book of John, Jesus said that he came that we might have life and have it to the full. True believers understand that the only way we can truly live is to remain connected to Jesus, the vine.
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In America, we are raised to be independent and self-sufficient. But believers know that true strength and security comes from our dependence on God. He is the source for everything we need. Just like an infant is totally dependent on their parents even though, at times, it might be unaware of that, we are dependent on God, even if, at times, we lose track of that truth. When we buy into the illusion of independence, there will come a time when that illusion is shattered. But, if we hold fast to the truth of our dependence on God; if we remain in him as he remains in us, we will realize that whatever happens in life, we will not waver. Jesus said that apart from him we can do nothing. I hope that you and I will never try to do anything apart from him. So I would encourage you, as I encourage myself, to filter all that we are through our relationship with God. Just like a branch that is connected to the vine; the stronger our relationship with him, the more healthy we will be and the more fruit we will bear.
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