Passage of the Day:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 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. 5 “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. 6 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. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love, John 15:1-10.
Reflection:
If you try to ascertain your faith based upon how you feel day to day, you’ll probably be all over the place. Whether you know it or not, sometimes human beings are simply more focused and locked in to what they are doing. Unfortunately, distractions, emotions and the unexpected may cause you to lose your spiritual momentum. Subsequently, this may influence your heart to wander away from the Lord, void of the hunger and passion you once possessed. A sign that Christian hearts aren’t in the right place is when you stray off on your own, away from God’s love as priorities change.
Prayerful Action:
If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus, 1 John 4:15-17.
Restoring Your Heart:
People who struggle to love others tend to have a hard time forgiving themselves. In the minds of these individuals, God’s unconditional love is hard to fathom. Yet, the analogy of the Vine and Branches involves a relationship which takes time. When Christians begin to grasp God’s love, human hearts start to draw near God. The more Christians learn to rely on and remain attached to the vine, Jesus, hearts will come back to where they belong, Matthew 6:33.
Song of the Day:
Final Thoughts:
The lyrics of House of Their Dreams highlight what happens when Christians decide to remove themselves from the Vine, Jesus. Rather than being united under one family, everyone gradually separates due to various priorities in life. If you want your heart to drift back in the right direction, draw near Jesus and trust God to provide all that you need, Matthew 6:33-34.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 