The Strength of the Vine

Jn. 15:5  "I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me and I in him, bears much fruit, for without me you can do nothing."

Recently, while trimming brush along the tree line in our backyard, I encountered a grape vine that had entwined itself among the growth.  As I began removing it, or at least attempting to remove it, I was amazed at how strong it was when I tugged on it.

Reading this passage in the gospel of John about the vine and the branches, I've always understood that the Vine, Jesus Christ, is the source of life and only by being connected can we, the branches, have life and produce fruit.  And certainly that's true.  But, also, by being connected, we have access to the incredible strength of the Vine.  Abiding in Him enables His strength to manifest itself in and through us.  There is not only life in the Vine, there is strength (Phil. 4:13) in it, too.  Without that empowering and overcoming strength, we can do nothing.

The beauty of His strength is that the weaker we are, the more it is "made perfect" (2 Cor. 12:9).  His miracle working power matures and is at it's strongest in our weakest moments.

When we are tired and worn out by the constant tugging of life's trials and afflictions, by virtue of our connection to Christ we can always rely on and draw from the strength of the Vine!


Sock Monkey Snippet:  Our source of life is also our source of strength.