On a beautiful day in a scenic countryside, I was driving through the acres of green vines snaking over undulating slopes as they grow heavy with ripe fruits. They were getting ready for wineries.
Stopping at a vineyard, I took a private tour to learn about the "low-intervention” approach to grape-growing. It was interesting but what fascinated me were two words - “Prune" and “Graft". “Pruning” is a technique used to trim the unwanted parts of the plant - overgrown or dead parts. "Vine grafting" is a technique used to combat the soil based diseases or pests, and primarily to bear the same fruit each time, meaning "grow true to seed" sown. In grafting, the upper part of one plant grows on the root system of the another plant. It is done during the winter time so that it is ready and healthy from spring to grow. That was very captivating.
As I switched on the car engine, with the soft instrumental music in the background and with the immersed thoughts of the vine grafting, I drove pleasantly, enjoying the scenery on my way. It was at that moment, I remembered Jesus saying to His disciples in
John 15:1-8, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples."
Our Father being the vinedresser had His Seed, His Son as the Vine rooted and grounded in His Love strongly. Father knowing that the mankind can never bear fruit of himself, He carefully grafted us (the adopted sons in Christ) in the Vine, Jesus Christ, so that not only we bear much fruit in Him but also the same fruit as Christ. Moreover, we are able to combat the worldly based diseases or pests thrown at us by the enemy. How magnificent is His plan! Grafting is a time-consuming process requiring patience and practice. Father demonstrated His patience and His love through Jesus Christ so that the mankind is not left abandoned. On the last night, Jesus Christ prayed to our Father for us who haven’t seen or been with Him at that time in
John 17:20-23 - “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be ONE, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be ONE in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be ONE just as We are ONE: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in ONE, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me."
Thank you Abba for grafting us in Christ Jesus and made us ONE in You!
Thank you Father for being patient with us in our process of being grafted and for loving us to prune away the things in our life to bear more fruit and more imp the Same Fruit of Jesus!