The Vine, John 15

For those of you who are not attending the retreat, but would like to journey with us through the devotional... you are so welcome here. My prayer is that these devotionals would awaken each of us, and then as a Body, to our purpose, our joy, and the simplicity of just being who we were created and designed to be: a branch. Only be a branch in the true Vine, nurtured by the Vinedresser and fed through abiding, to bear fruit, and more fruit, fruit that will last. 

My hope is that as we read and soak through these Scriptures, our ability to rest and abide in His agenda will grow. My hope is that we, who are so weary and heavy laden at times, will understand better what it means to rest, to take His yoke upon us and learn from Him. My hope is that we will see that indeed He is gentle and humble of heart… and determined to bear His fruit through us… more and more fruit…. fruit that is eternal.  My hope is that we will, for longer periods of time, cease striving. I don’t know about you, but my life has been characterized by striving. Even chasing the good things for God can be striving. We need to learn to rest in His agenda, not strive to create for Him, as honest an expression of love as that seems.

As promised, you will find a link to the devotional, as well as a link to the audio version of Hebrews in The Message version below. The devotional will take you about 15 minutes per day to thoughtfully read through. For those who can’t get to it that day, I’ve included the highlights from today’s reading.

Again, if you have any specific requests that we can pray through as a group, you can send them to me at nicolechapingiven@gmail.com

The reading today is entitled, The Vine, and the Scripture is John 15:1. It can be found on page 2 in the link below.

Here are the Highlights:

I am the true Vine. The vine is the living Lord, who Himself speaks, and give, and works all that He has for us.  If you would know the meaning and power of that word, do not think to find it by thought or study; these may help to show you what you must get from Him to awaken desire and hope and pray, but they cannot show you the Vine.  Jesus alone can reveal Himself.  He gives His Holy Spirit to open the eyes to gaze upon Himself, to open the heart to receive Himself. He must Himself speak the word to you and me. 

He is the the glorified One, who from the throne gives his Spirit to make His presence real and true. He speaks – oh listen, not to His words only, but to Himself, as He whispers secretly day by day: “I am the true Vine! All that the Vine can ever be to its branch, I will be to you.”

Holy Lord Jesus, the heavenly Vine of God’s own planting, I beseech Thee, reveal Thyself to my soul. Let the Holy Spirit, not only in thought, but in experience, give me to know all that Thou, the Son of God, art to me as the true Vine.

Prayer for you:

Romans 15:13 You are the God of Hope, may You fill us with all joy and all peace in believing, so that that we may abound in hope by the power of Your Holy Spirit, Abba. May we have hope, a certain expectation that You will meet us and in fact are meeting us in our need right now. May we have a certain expectation of being heard by You and being loved by You. Oh fill our hearts to overflowing, and may they abound in hope, the true hope of our calling and adoption as a son and daughter through the finished work of Christ Jesus. You are our Hope, and today we rest in You, by faith. In Jesus Name, amen.

The True Vine