Remedy for a Withered Branch (AKA me!)
Have you ever felt withered, lifeless, helpless? I have often felt like that lone spaghetti noodle that somehow wriggled out of the pot of boiling water and now lies dried up and plastered to the stovetop. Pathetic, lifeless, and unable to scrape itself off and help itself. The best metaphor, however, for the dried-up noodle feeling that I am describing, is the picture of the branches and vine found in John 15:5. In that verse, Jesus says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit, for apart from Me, you can do nothing.”
A withered branch lying on the ground, lifeless, good for nothing, and unable to help itself; that is what we are when we are not connected to the vine. When I began to detect that withered feeling, when situations and tasks suddenly become monumental and impossible before me, and when I find my energy and joy have all but disappeared, I know that I have a vine connection problem! If my lifeline to the vine has been severed or is suffering from an attack from that nasty beetle, let's just call it a “Pride Beetle,” that has been chewing away at my connection point to the vine, I am in big trouble. Jesus makes it perfectly clear exactly how much we can accomplish on our own; “nothing!” We can do nothing. We may appear to do things without His assistance, and certainly those who do not follow Him at all make their way through this life somehow, but if we desire to bear fruit, then vine attachment is a must.
What does it mean to “bear fruit?” The Bible mentions fruit many times, stating that there can be good fruit and bad fruit depending on what type of “tree” is producing it. There is also the fruit of the Spirit; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Whether it is the fruit of good and selfless works or the fruits of the Spirit, namely the character of Christ being formed in our own hearts, “fruit” is something that can only be produced by the Lord. In His goodness, He allows us to cling to Him as a branch to a vine in order to receive the lifegiving strength, power, and wisdom He has to offer and He then works to grow His fruit on our humble branches. He allows our feeble flawed branch to take on the identity of His pure and mighty vine and the stronger we cling to that vine, the more numerous and beautiful the fruit on our branches becomes.
This is such a glorious and encouraging image, isn’t it? Unfortunately, it is one I often forget. That little pride beetle comes creeping along and starts to chew on the connection point to the vine, all the while saying, “You can do it on your own!” Oh, what a little liar that beetle is! Fast forward and you will find me lying withered and defeated on the ground and wondering what went wrong. That is the point I find myself at this moment as I write this. I am gazing up at that vine and remembering the truth about my own failures and limitations. Oh, how thankful I am that the Lord is a forgiving vine that will welcome me back to Himself.
About a year ago, I wrote John 15:5 on a large whiteboard above my desk. I had the intention of switching it out every week or so with a fresh verse to ponder and memorize, but my consistent need for this verse has given it a permanent place on that board. I know too well that my prideful self will soon fall into the same trap and that I need this reminder to help me back to my lifegiving vine as quick as possible. There is a reason God told the Israelites to write the Law on their doorposts and why King David stated that he had hidden God’s Word in his heart! We are forgetful and sinful people who need the constant reminder of our dire need for our Lord and Savior every single day of our lives.
Now, friend, what verse do you need to post on your wall?
