I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. John 15:5
It's such a beautiful spring. The trees have leafed out. The flowers are blooming. Oh! You haven't slowed down enough to notice? It's time to go out and soak up the sunshine and observe God's beautiful creation.
The Lord gives us examples of our relationship to him with daily visuals through His creation. My friend, Beth King Fortune loves gardening and she loves the Lord. This spring she published The Potting Bench, 60 Daily Garden Devotions with the Master Gardener, available on Amazon or at her local book signings. Each devotion is divided into four short section, an example of her gardening adventures, a Prayer, a Digging Deeper section that gives application and Over the Fence, her gardening tips. A beautiful photograph, which she took, accompanies each devotion with an appropriate scripture.
Beth titled Day 11, Abiding. Her key verse is John 15:5. Her example was pruning her clematis. She kind of overdid it. Her prayer was one of thankfulness that Jesus is our life source. Her digging deeper section was how she severed the branch from the vine and the vine wilted. Just as we must stay connected to the Lord daily to receive the spiritual nourishment we need to bear fruit as the Lord intends.
Her Over the Garden Fence is about the planting and care of clematis.
Each devotion is a quick reminder of how we can be planted in the Lord's garden and bear fruit for Him.
I recommend Mrs. Fortune's devotional for that quick reminder before we start out the door into the fields that are ripe, ready for harvest.
Heavenly Father, please keep me connected to You and make me aware of how I might bear fruit for you. In Jesus' name. Amen.
