Passion for Christ - Fruit to Follow!

During my first visit to Australia, I stayed with a wonderful family in Brisbane.  A good portion of the back of the house and porch was covered with a lush, green, passion fruit vine.  I was amazed by the amount of foliage and fruit generated by a single seed.  The vine was enormous, but the connection to the ground was very small.  From what I can remember, my hosts said every year they would give it a big trim.  It would begin growing again, creeping up the bannister and up to the second story with a bumper crop of delicious passion fruit.

Jesus said in John 15:5, "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."  Just like the passion fruit vine's life, growth, and food production depended on the vine's connection to the earth, so we as Christians are only viable when we are connected to Christ.  It would be foolish for the branches to be so awed by their rich foliage and heavy fruit that they no longer see the need to be connected to the root system.  This can occur in the ministries of the church.  We can be so focused on growth or evident fruitfulness that we neglect to protect and tend to our connection to Christ.  It may not be obvious overnight, but ministries that move away from abiding in Christ instantly begin to wilt and die.  Apart from Christ all strength for life, growth, and fruitfulness is gone.

The best strategies and plans of men will fail, but those who abide in Christ are granted life and vitality.  As a gardener daily inspects his vines for disease or insects, so we must constantly consider the condition of our hearts.  Am I wandering from complete devotion to Christ?  Is my mind dwelling on things above or am I entertaining sinful thoughts?  Are my eyes focused on Jesus or am I distracted and frustrated by lack of growth?  Are there little foxes - spiritual attacks - that I need to guard against?  Am I lifted up with pride because of the apparent success of a ministry instead of glorifying God for His grace and provision?  Without Jesus Christ we can do nothing.

Let us acknowledge and praise God for the life provided through Jesus.  May we grow and thrive as we abide in Him!