" I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardner. 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, and I will 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"
John 15:1-4

I prayed a lot while I was reading these verses. I have been reading John for awhile now, trying to really understand the teachings of Jesus. This particular one keeps coming back to me. When you look at your life as snapshots you can start to piece together how this teaching is so relevant to us today. Without Christ as our vine, we are just empty branches that are tossed aside. When you let go of everything except Christ and you cling to that vine ... you will see the increase of fruit in your life. When we allow Him to prune us, to discipline us, we become even more fruitful. He takes care of us. He loves us. The reference to God as a gardner is perfect. A gardner by nature is someone that is nurturing. However, they are also very protective. Branches that have died need to be taken away so that they do not affect the entire plant. God does that for us. When we are willing to walk in Christ he will provide the nurturing guidance that will allow us to grow and to be fruitful. Even when we are being disciplined, it is to further our character and strengthen our faith. When we turn from Him and walk in darkness, we will be cast aside. I looked at this picture for awhile. Those are hearty grapes and there are a lot of them being supported by that vine. Christ is our vine and He can hold more than we think that he can.