My limbs are being cut off...

When I do not prune my lemon trees, they produce a lot of wasted wood that branches and grows in multiple directions, each one trying to make it to the top where it can get the most sunlight. They produce a lot of light green leaves that clutter up the tree. And, they produce lots and lots of very small, and largely useless, lemons that do not have the nutrients to mature and be used in my lemonade. 


Having recently become a gardener of sorts, a scripture passage has taken on new meaning for me and leads me to consider what it means to be pruned by God the way Christ describes in John 15:2 (see passage below).  I think about some of the "branches" of my life that have grown and pull me in different directions.

If I have too many priorities, responsibilities, or hobbies in my life, I cannot bear that large juicy fruit that is not only pleasing to the eye, but also useful to the gardener. Hypothetically, those things could look like spending time with my wife, spending time with my kids and at their activities, work and the associated relationships, church and small group, work around the house, staying in shape, correspondence with friends and family, maintaining/riding my motorcycle and dirt bikes, maintaining/riding my mountain bike, maintaining/driving my jeep, maintaining/shooting my guns, professional and or pleasure reading, Spanish lessons, caring for the chickens, etc... Nothing in that list is a bad thing or a sin per se, but it is a lot of stuff that requires time and energy, and potentially detracts from building a relationship with God and the people who He has put in my sphere of influence. Conversely, trimming away some of those things allows me to put my time and energy into those things that are also a priority to God and his kingdom, and do it without the stress of falling behind on one of my other interests. 

Figure out what things in your life need pruning so that you may do as Christ says in John 15:8-bear much fruit, showing yourself to be His disciple, to the Father's glory. 

John15:1-8 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." 

JS