Abiding Hope - Chapter Twenty-One

Abiding Hope

“I am the vine,

you are the branches;

he who abides in Me and I in him,

he bears much fruit,

for apart from Me you can do nothing.

John 15:5 NASB

As a girl, I loved going to my grandparent’s house for many reasons including my cousins who lived next door, and my grandparent’s garden which provided a huge playground and, in the summer months, a luscious snack area. The regular Sunday drive from our home to theirs offered time for me to hope for something delicious to be ready to harvest.

Grandpa’s Concord grapes grew behind the house at the front edge of the garden, providing me with shelter from prying eyes as I ate my fill. The deep rich purple skin and the beautiful spreading vines often drew my attention away from my surroundings as I became lost in the sugary treat. I quickly learned to pull the grapes one by one from the hanging bunches rather than breaking a piece of the vine because the life of the fruit is dependent upon the vine.

That lesson has served me well throughout my spiritual journey. From childhood until now, my desire to be fruitful in God’s Kingdom has depended upon my ability to stay connected to the true vine. Just like a grape with no nourishment, when I allow busyness to isolate me from the vine, my spiritual desire to be fruitful shrivels.

Have you found that to be true? Do you sometimes allow the burdens and busyness of life to interrupt your relationship with the life-giving nourishment of the true vine?

John 15:5 explains the principle needed to bear much fruit in your spiritual journey. Christ is the vine, and you are the branch. In order to bear those beautiful bunches of fruit, you must abide in the vine; Christ. Remain in Him. Live in Him. Dwell in Him. Endure with Him. Keep on keeping on with Him. Because, Jesus says in John 15:5, “…apart from me you can do nothing.” No Thing! By yourself, separately, without, or independent from Christ—you and I can do No Thing!

Unlike the grape on the grapevine, spiritual fruit comes in a diverse display of abiding in the vine. Making Christ Savior and Lord. Obedience to the Father. Answered prayer. Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self-Control. Soul-Winning; and more…

Therefore, staying connected to Christ is essential to living a life of abiding hope. A life that bears much fruit. A life filled with joy in the midst of pain. A life filled with peace in the midst of persecution. A life filled with expectancy in the midst of sorrow. A life filled with promise in the midst of disappointment. A life filled with purpose in the midst of defeat.

Working in a job you do not like, raising small children, raising teenagers, putting a life goal on hold, caring for an aging parent or an ailing spouse, or a hundred other circumstances can consume your time and keep you from abiding in the vine. But abiding hope comes when you remain in, endure, and keep on receiving the nourishment found only in remaining in Christ.

Let today be the day you make a commitment to be the branch that never shrivels as you realize abiding hope.

Hope for Daily Living

Write John 15:5. Write your personal definition of abiding hope.

Read John 15:1-4. Is there anything in your life that you need to allow the Father, as gardener, to prune? If so, write it here and make a commitment to discuss it with the Father.

If you do not already have a daily specific time set aside with the Father, are you willing to make a commitment to begin today? You can start with five minutes and lengthen the time as you desire

Write YES below if you are willing to memorize John 15:5. This will help you keep it in the forefront of your mind on those difficult days when there seems to be no time for God!

Heavenly Father,

today I desire a more intimate relationship with you; a relationship that initiates abiding hope in my life. Hope that endures through every circumstance. Hope that is based completely on being the branch that never becomes severed from the vine. Hope that permeates my life and the lives of those around me. Please allow me the joy and privilege of bearing much fruit for You. Thank you for patiently pruning me. In the most precious Name of Jesus. Amen.

©Joyce Powell