Wednesday 5 Dec 2012

Wednesday Reading: John 15:1-8

Key Verse: John 15:1-8
8  Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

Devotion:
I wonder if you have ever been successful at growing something. I fear that I seem to be able to kill most plants rather than allow them to thrive in my flat; I certainly did not inherit my parents’ green fingers! I like to think that I should be able to care for plants but my track record tends to show otherwise! But every now and again I do seem to get something to grow well and when that happens it brings me great pleasure.

When I was in junior school I used bean plants in my science experiment to see how plants grow toward the light. I had great fun in trying to grow them in spirals as I turned them a little each day. Now a have to turn my only surviving house plant each week to make sure it does not try and escape out the window as it grows off in the direction of the window. But even though I have been surrounded by so many failures with plants, seeming only to be able to keep the plants that ‘nobody can kill’, I still get great delight when things do go right.

I guess that is along the lines of how God sees some of us. We tend to try and run off in the direction of what we think we should go but God continues to try to turn us so that we grow healthy rather than just toward the light. Sometimes we will not like being turned over and over again just so that we can grow right instead of taking flight! God is constantly trying to make us face the right way so that we grow in an even amount rather than just latching on to the direction we think is right.

When we are compared to being part of the vine it is for us to see that we will face hardships in our life but God will continue to try and turn us in the right direction so that we can glorify Him with all that we do. God’s plan for us is that we do bear fruit; and whilst it may be a hard slog with us having to face being turned every day, we do have a caretaker who cares for us and wants us growing the right way. Just because we can’t get it right it does not mean that God cannot get it right. He knows exactly what we do need and He will continue to try to strengthen us so that we will be strong enough to do His will without folding under the pressure. Allow God to work His good pleasure in your life and find out how good His ways can be!

Points to Ponder:
Do you still want your own way?

Are you fighting God’s ways?