Meno

Last week we talked about how the vineyard was always God’s plan. Don’t worry, I have not forgotten where we are going, it’s been a long road but we will soon get to talking about loving people. To love people God’s way, we have to first love God and have a relationship with God. John 15 tells us what kind of relationship God wants to have with us. We have to remain connected to God and dependent on God and there will be seasons of pruning and discipline as we go along, but ultimately our lives will bear godly fruit.

Last week we learnt that Jesus is the Vine and Papa God is the Vinedresser (John 15:1). We also learnt that we are Jesus’ branches (John 15:5) and Holy Spirit is the life giving sap that flows in the Vine. The relationship that Jesus described is a close and intimate relationship. Whatever the Vine needs, the Vinedresser will supply. Whatever the branches need, the Vine will supply. If you have ever seen a vine, it doesn’t pick and choose which branches get nutrients, for as long as a branch is connected to the vine, everything the branch needs will be supplied by the vine. All the branches have to do is to stay connected to the vine.

Have you ever seen a branch fighting for its life and using everything it has to cling onto a vine? No. Abiding in Jesus is not meant to be like that. We are not meant to be fighting for our lives trying to hold onto Him. Remember our definition for abide? It is the Greek word, “meno” which means to remain, abide, to continue to be present, to be held, to be kept continually, to remain as one, not to become another or different. What do you have to do to be held? You just have to let God hold you. You just have to consent to Him being God and holding your life in His hands. Stop biting and scratching and fighting God. Let Him hold you.

Abiding is allowing God to be God in your life. It is trusting that the Vine is not out to get you. The Vine is not trying to destroy you, everything the Vine does is for your benefit. Why? Because what benefits you benefits the Vine, and what benefits the Vine benefits you. John 15 is an invitation to a life of continuous fellowship with God. A life where God takes care of us, nourishes us, provides for us, watches over us day and night (Isaiah 27:2-3).

It’s that simple. We are not fighting to hold onto the Vine the Vine is holding on to us. If we are in a fight, it is a fight not to push the Vine away and disconnect. Jesus said this in John 10:28-30, “My own sheep will hear my voice and I know each one, and they will follow me. I give to them the gift of eternal life and they will never be lost and no one has the power to snatch them out of my hands. My Father, who has given them to me as his gift, is the mightiest of all, and no one has the power to snatch them from my Father’s care. The Father and I are one.”

So what do we do to stay connected to the Vine? We hear His voice, and we do what He is telling us to do because we trust the Shepherd. The devil may come at us, but as long as we do not start listening to his voice and following him, we will remain connected to Jesus. Devil knows he is too weak to snatch you out of Jesus’ hands. He can’t do it! So instead, he makes you get offended at God or otherwise gets you to compromise on what you know is right and the enemy makes you think it is your idea to walk away from Jesus but it really is him luring you away so he can steal, kill and destroy your life, piece by piece.

Stay in the Vineyard of Delight, which is the church of Jesus. The Bible is clear that Jesus is coming back for His bride. Who is His bride? The Church. So stay plugged into your church. Abide in Jesus. Stay connected to the Vine. That is where we get our strength to fight the enemy. Before you can resist the devil, you must first submit to God, James 4:7. Stay connected to Jesus.

There is always forgiveness for sin, Jesus paid for it all on the cross. But when we disconnect from the Vine this is what the word of God says in John 15:6, “If a person is separated from me, he is discarded; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire to be burned.” Refusing to abide, disconnecting from Jesus, that’s what gets us into trouble. Why do we disconnect? Because on some level we think we know better than God. If you really think about it, at its core that’s what it boils down to and in one word that is called pride.

We need God, without Him we wither and become dried up branches that get thrown in the fire. God doesn’t send us to the fire. We choose the fire by refusing to abide. God gave us this wonderful thing called free will. We can use it to obey God, or we can use it to rebel against Him. What God won’t do, because He is not raising robots, is “make you” do something you do not want to do even if it will save your life. You get to decide. You get to choose.

One of the upsides of abiding is this, John 15:7, “But if you live in life-union with me and if my words live powerfully [My words take hold, are strong] within you —then you can ask whatever you desire and it will be done.” What a promise! Abide in Jesus, friends. That is a decision you make day by day. Stay connected to Jesus. The times we are living in are perilous, we need to snuggle in closer with Jesus.

Love and blessings,

Melissa Tsingano.