Getting cut isn’t the worst thing that can happen

Easter was great as expected. We had a wonderful service at Antioch. The choir sang a beautiful Easter program, and then our new pastor started a three week set of sermons on the resurrection.

After church, I headed up to Mom and Dad’s house for the usual Easter dinner and nap. There’s something special about that Easter nap, lol.

While my niece and nephew were hunting eggs, I walked out to the orchard with Momma. She showed me every bush out there. When we came to the grape vines, she started breaking off dead pieces from the vine. She said she had to get rid of them in order for the good branches to bear more fruit. Right now, they don’t look like much, but later on those vines will be full of grapes. This comes as result of the pruning. Pruning improves the health and strength of the vine, and thus increases the amount grapes during the harvest season.

In the same way, pruning must take place in our spiritual lives for us to bear more spiritual fruit. In Colossians 3:5, Paul instructs us, “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” In other words, he’s telling us to put to death your members which are worldly. Our pruning must be extensive for us to grow in God’s character. Then in verses 8-10 of the same chapter, Paul says, “But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.”

Sometimes God uses the circumstances in our lives as part of the pruning process to help us grow to become more like Christ. Many times we forget that pruning comes through trials. Hebrews 12:5-6 says, ”And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” When we put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ for our salvation, we are adopted by God the Father into His family. We should expect Him to love and correct us, just as we do our own children.

Looking back, I can see times where I was “loved and corrected” by my parents. My brother and sister were, too. I can’t recall a time where this correction wasn’t necessary and beneficial for our own good. I don’t thank my parents enough for the times that I was being molded into someone pleasing to them.

This week, thank God that He is pruning the “branches” of your life. Remember that He knows what He is doing. His plan for you is not only to prosper you, but to make you more usable for his purposes. Make it a point to stay connected to the vine (Jesus) so that you can produce more fruit.w