Cleansed

Last week we talked about how much God cares about us and how He wants to scoop us up in His arms, wash us clean and help us grow and bear fruit in our lives. We also briefly talked about how those who are producing fruit get the wonderful gift of pruning. Now, I may have said it sarcastically a few years ago but now I realise that pruning really is a gift. It doesn’t sound right, right?

When we imagine pruning we imagine cutting. We see gardening sheers because to prune is to cut back right? Rose bushes need to be pruned so they can produce beautiful gorgeous roses. Grapevines also need to be pruned because science says well pruned vine branches produce the best sized fruit and the right number of bunches of grapes so they are not weighted down. We know that biblically, Jesus called us branches and He is the Vine.

John 15:5 says, “I am the Vine; you are the branches…”. Last week we looked at John 15:2 which says, “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that continues to bear fruit, He [repeatedly] prunes, so that it will bear more fruit [even richer and finer fruit].”

So what is pruning and why is it good for us? The Greek word used for the word prune is the word “kathairo” which also means to cleanse. God does not come running at us with pruning sheers chasing us around the vineyard. He brings His word to wash away the impurities that find their way into our hearts. We make pruning sound so dramatic but in reality what pruning is, is God giving us a map marked, “You are here” and His word shows us where we need to be going.

Pruning can look like this; you hear a word in church that you should not lie. You know you got a problem with lying and that word feels like it’s for you. From what we learnt a few weeks ago, we know that Jesus is knocking on the door of our hearts, and it is up to us to open the door. So, you open the door to Jesus and start a conversation with Him and He asks, “Why do you feel you need to lie?” You say, “Because no one has my back and I have to defend myself.” God then reminds you of Isaiah 41:10 which says, “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”

God then starts to deal with the wrong thinking in our minds and helps us align with His word. That is pruning. God never comes to condemn us or tell us we are terrible and just the worst! That is the voice of the devil. Don’t come under that, submit to God, resist the devil and He will flee.

So when God prunes us, He is cleansing you from worldly impurities. He does it to all of us. No one is immune from pruning because we live in a fallen world and every so often, we believe the wrong thing, think the wrong thing, do the wrong thing or form bad habits and God comes and washes us with His word and draws us back under the shadow of His wings.

When we harden our hearts towards God and refuse to open the door to our hearts to Him, we distance ourselves from Him and we stay stuck in dysfunctional cycles. Much like a car that is stuck in mud, you can hit the accelerator all you want but that car is not going anywhere. It is going to stay stuck in the mud until a strategy comes on how to get it out. When we are stuck in life’s situations and muddy places, we need God’s strategy to get out. So we cannot afford to distance ourselves from God. Stay close to the Vine.  Allow God to cleanse you with His word because when He does, your life bears richer and finer fruit.

Pruning is what turns us from being those Christians that no one wants to be around to Christians that people can relate to and want to hang out with. Everyone wanted to hang out with Jesus, including sinners! So, if people are avoiding us then the question is, are we really good image bearers for Christ or do we need to allow God to do some cleansing, a little pruning in the garden of our hearts, so we can bear richer and finer fruit that draws people to Jesus and not repel them?

God is not going to force you to be pruned and cleansed, you get to decide to trust that He knows where to cut so your branch can grow and flourish and bear just the right amount of grapes that it is not weighted down or destroyed.

God always wants what’s best for you. It may hurt or feel uncomfortable at the time but you will one day look back and thank God for His wonderful pruning shears that cut in just the right places so God could be revealed in your life and your life could be that much more enjoyable! I enjoy life more with each passing year because God keeps cleansing me, and drawing me closer and aligning me with His word. He can do the same for you, if you’ll let Him.

Love and blessings,

Melissa Tsingano.