Abiding in the True Vine

When I picture a vine, I think about an umbilical cord—a cord that supplies life, blood, and nutrients to whatever is connected to it. This sounds just like Jesus. “…He gives life and life more abundantly” (John 10:11). His blood that was shed covers our sins. The nutrients we receive from Him are many. The nutrients can be the fruits of the Spirit—examples being love, joy, and peace. Nutrients can be help in times of trouble, heirship, belonging, and salvation.

Jesus is the True Vine that supplies our every need. His Father is the Vinedresser. The vinedresser is a person who cultivates and prunes grapevines. Do you know why they prune grapevines? To obtain maximum yields of high-quality fruit. Pruning also allows adequate vegetative growth for the following season. God prunes us, removing things from our lives so that we can grow—preparing us for the next season of our life and allowing us to produce more fruit.

John 15:5 tells us that Jesus is the Vine, and we are the branches. Whoever lives in Jesus and Jesus in him bears much fruit. However apart from Him we can do nothing.

To have this fruit—the very nutrients of life, covered by the blood—we must abide in the Vine. To abide is to remain and exist in Him, allowing Him to change us through our relationship with Him.

We cannot do anything severed from the Vine. You might ask, How do I abide in the True Vine?

Spend Time Reading the Word: God talks to us through His Word. Reading the Bible teaches us about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. The Word will grow you, change you, and reveal the True Vine—Jesus—to your heart.

Prayer: Prayer is a vital part of abiding. Prayer is just talking to God. Prayer will keep you connected and can even begin to grow your faith when you see your prayers being answered.

Obedience: Learning to listen when God speaks and obey what He says will keep the “nutrients” flowing from the True Vine. 1 Samuel 15:22 reminds us that obedience is better than sacrifice.

Worship: When we worship, it opens doors and changes atmospheres. Worship keeps us in tune with the True Vine and the Vinedresser, showing Him honor, adoration, and gratefulness for all He is and all He has done.

Are you connected to the True Vine?

Maybe you’re a believer but have become severed completely? Or perhaps you’re hanging on by a thread and need to reconnect and recommit the parts of your life that you’ve been struggling with.

Maybe you’ve never been connected to the True Vine and need to connect for the first time.

No matter where you stand, Jesus is ready to meet you right where you are. He offers freedom, redemption, salvation, and grace.

Connecting to the True Vine—Jesus Christ—begins with a simple, sincere prayer from the heart:

Dear Lord Jesus, I ask You to come into my heart, be my Lord and Savior. I believe You are the Son of God and that You died on the cross and rose again. I ask You to forgive me of my sins and be the Lord of my life. In Jesus’ name I pray.

Lord Jesus, I pray that You will show me how I can abide in You. Help me to draw near to You so that You will draw near to me. Prune me and shape me to Your will, not my own. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.