Soil, Sunshine and Showers

Jesus said - I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)

I love how lessons from the Bible sometimes come at me from all directions. Last blog entry I was thinking about how pruning and watering produces fruit in our garden and how God uses the same means to produce fruit in our lives. Since then, John 15 has again and again been laid before me this week. In particular, God has given me fresh food for thought through the biography, Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret.

This quote from Taylor adds so much more depth to the desire of bearing fruit for God.

"As I thought of the Vine and the branches, what light the blessed Spirit poured direct into my soul! How great seemed my mistake in wishing to get the sap out of Him! I saw not only that Jesus will never leave me, but that I am a member of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. The vine is not the root merely, but all - root, stem, branches, twigs, leaves, flowers, fruit. And Jesus is not that alone - He is soil and sunshine, air and showers, and ten thousand times more than we have ever dreamed, wished for or needed."

I have to hold back from quoting so much more. Please read the book. You will be blessed.

P.s. - Hudson Taylor was used mightily by God throughout England, China and the World. His "Spiritual Secret" was a devotion to prayer and Bible reading. May we not let such a lesson fall on hardened hearts!