15 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 

John 15:1-2

Dear God, tonight I am teaching on the Parable of the Sower out of Matthew 13, but it’s really something how many agricultural comparisons you made to our relationship with you through your presence in the world as Jesus. In this example, Jesus is our source of your presence in us. He is you and he is our connection to you. And honestly, it doesn’t make sense that you wouldn’t prune off the bad branches. If the new earth was full of people who had no regard for you or goodness in general, how would it be any different than this world?

And what of the pruning? I have a redbud tree in my backyard that we planted from a six-inch sapling. now, it is the tallest redbud tree I’ve every seen. In eight years, my wife has specifically watered it just about every day, and I have pruned it to give it a canopy tall enough for me to walk under. That seems to have pushed it taller and taller. I would guess it is about 20 feet tall now. I don’t know what it would look like if I’d just let it grow with no pruning, but it looks terrific now.

What would I look like if you didn’t prune me. If I just went off in every direction trying to represent you, worship you, and love you, but also having all of this dead stuff hanging onto me. All of this stuff that wasn’t a productive use of my time and energy. Also, the stuff that got knocked off because it was part of the sin I was holding onto and you knew I needed to be humbled and lean into you more.

Father, this is a great analogy. And I am grateful for how you are forming me. I am not there yet. I am not the man I want to be. I am not the man you know I can be. And I still have pain. Please help to make this pain in my life count for my formation and your glory in this world. I have two friends who have lost fathers this week. Please be with each of these women. Love them. Comfort them. Comfort them through their husbands, families, and friends. But comfort them through your Holy Spirit too. I know both of them are earnest worshippers of you. Help them through this pain. And I want to specifically lift up to you a couple that is precious to me that is going through a difficult time with a child. Oh, Father, be merciful. Help them to navigate this difficult path. Show them your love for them. Give them your peace. Give their child your peace. Use this pain to prune and not cast out. Make it count. Be powerful. Be healing. And use it to bring others into your presence as well.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen