What the Gardener Does

Read

John 15:3-4 “You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”

Think

Have you ever had a plant at home that started to look a little wild, with dead leaves and branches going in every direction? Maybe a grown-up came along and trimmed off the dead parts. At first the plant looked smaller. But a few weeks later, it came back fuller and healthier than before.

On Monday we heard that the gardener prunes the branches. Pruning is when the gardener carefully trims a plant. It seems backwards. Why cut off part of a healthy plant? But every good gardener knows the secret. Trimming away the old stuff helps the plant put its energy into growing something better.

God is like that gardener in your life. Sometimes he trims things away that are holding you back. Maybe a bad habit. Maybe a way of treating people that is not kind. It might not feel fun in the moment. But God is not trying to hurt you. He is helping you grow.

Look at what Jesus says here too. “You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.” That is a gift. Before you do anything to earn it, Jesus makes you clean through his words. You do not have to be perfect to be his. You just have to stay connected.

Here is the bridge. When life feels like it is trimming you down, when something hard happens or you have to give up something you liked, God might be doing gardener work. He can use even the hard parts to help more good grow in you.

So trust the gardener. He has been growing beautiful things for a very long time. He knows exactly what he is doing with you, and it is always, always for your good.

A gardener does not prune a plant he does not care about. He prunes the ones he loves, the ones he wants to see burst with fruit. So if you ever feel God trimming something in your life, do not think he has forgotten you. Think the opposite. It means he is paying close attention, because he loves you and wants you to grow.

Apply

Trust the gardener – Think of one hard thing in your life right now. Instead of only feeling sad about it, ask, “God, is there something good you want to grow in me through this?” Then trust him.

Pray

God, thank you for being a good gardener who helps me grow. When things get trimmed away and it feels hard, help me trust that you are making room for something better. In Jesus’ name. Amen.