Pruning

Jesus speaking; John 15:1,2,8 "I AM the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples."

Every Fall a Tree Service Company drives into our little town to prune tree branches away from the power lines-

Yesterday the truck stopped at my house.  As I watched the man hack away at the living branches from my Ash tree and watching as he left behind the dead limbs on this tree, a thought entered my mind.

How differently my Saviour prunes me.  He gently removes growth that has become stunted by disease; maybe cares of this world?

He trims away infested boughs, impure thoughts, perhaps?

He breaks away the dead, brittle sticks that no longer produce anything of value...a critical spirit, bitterness, dead works?

And He leaves behind vines that will bear fruit in the days to come; maybe a word spoken in due season?

Sometimes pruning hurts.  Something is removed that I thought was necessary in my life, but The One Who can see the purpose He created me to be, knows better.

I'm thankful for the Master Gardener who loves me enough to snip away my brittle branches so that the hidden growth underneath will flourish and grow in the sunshine of His Light-to become more like Him!

    But that's just me!

Pruning allows what's left to blossom into something beautiful-anonymous