What is written in John 14 and onwards is very precious. The metaphor in John 15 is unforgettable. Using metaphors is good because it visualizes in your mind and you will not easily forget. The vine mentioned here is rooted in heaven, growing “upward”. It says ““I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.” (John 15:1). The Father is the vinedresser and He prunes the branches. “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” (John 15:2) The Father is the vinedresser who prunes so that the branches may bear more fruit. He “prunes” us so that we can bless others even more.
A grapevine is not very useful; it’s no good for making a fire, nor can it be used for building a house. The sole purpose of the grapevine is to bear fruit. Some materials can be used for lumber, or to build a house, but a grapevine cannot be used for anything else but to bear fruit. God created this vine, not just for us to enjoy the taste (It’s very nutritious) but to manifest the precious truth to us.
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” (John 15:4). No matter how hard you try by yourself, you can’t lead a fruitful life without God. There’s no other way out but Jesus. Paul also said, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (Gal. 2:20) He lives in me so that we can live. In John 14 it says, “…Because I live, you also will live.” (John 14:19) He wants us to live for Him. Apart from Him, we can do nothing. The Bible says it very clearly that we cannot bear fruit unless we abide in Him. To abide in the Lord might seem abstract. Using the word “touch” can help you to understand better. We’ve all had experienced God, being loved and touched by Him. You can feel the connection with Him. While your feelings may vary, you know in your heart there’s no barrier between you and Him. You are united with Him. Jesus is very real.
The entire Bible is talking about the relationship between God and man. All the people recorded in the Bible were people who experienced God. He can be experienced in different ways. Those were precious experiences of the spirit. However, now is even more precious because in this age the Father and Son forever live in us. This is one of the greatest blessings of the new covenant. Even Adam did not experience this. Though our bodies are not as good as Adam’s, the spiritual blessings we now enjoy are greater. One day, we’ll have the resurrected body! You are truly so blessed to live in this generation, but you need to enjoy these blessings. Otherwise, it would be like you receiving the most nutritious food without consuming it.
It’s so precious that our hearts and His are connected. You know that the devil is trying to disturb you and prevent you from going close to God. You know it when you lose the enjoyment. God is there, but you lose the sense of closeness and enjoyment. Your heart still loves God, but you need to rely on Him to overcome all these. There is no other way to live our days but to come before Him. No matter how low a state you are in, you have to come back to Him by faith. There’s no hope for you to fix yourself or make yourself better before coming back to Him. It will only make you fail for longer. God welcomes you with great joy when you go back to Him. This is the most important. There is no other way. If you don’t come to Him, you cannot be helped by Him even though He is yours. Although He does take care of you in secret, you would not be able to gain the greatest blessing that you should. During your failure or weaknesses, you will still find His care for you, but you suffer a great loss.
It’s so precious and touching that we can have the deepest living union with this ever-living God. He desires for us to abide in Him and be connected with Him. That’s how we should live with Him. As we read Psalm 73, we can visualize that the Lord is holding our right hand, upholding us. Indeed, His spirit and ours are closely united. Being hand in hand with Him expresses the truth that His spirit and mine are closest, which is heart-warming and affectionate. We live with Him as His darlings and friends.