“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me: he will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing.” John 15:5
The relationship that we keep with our Lord is not only important for our spiritual health, it is directly responsible for our ability to function in the will of God. We are indeed lamps shining in the darkness. But when our power source becomes unplugged for even a moment by our sin or laziness, our light is instantly extinguished. We must then expend our own energy in restoring that which should never have been unplugged. In the meantime, how many opportunities will be forfeit due to our inability to shine forth that guiding light?
Keep in mind as well that our Lord is comparing our relationship to a living and growing organism. If the branch is severed in any way, not only does the branch stop growing, but it immediately starts to die, or regress. Therefore, growth is an apt measurement in which to gauge the health of our relationship. When our growth begins to falter, our attention should be drawn straight to its genesis, which is our relationship to God.
Healing of the relationship should be our foremost concern. For of what worth to its user is salt that has lost its saltiness or a lamp that cannot light? Our Lord has plenty of lamps that are reliable. In fact, the ones that light without fail are the lamps that are used the most. But the lamp that troubles its master every time it is attempted to be lit, will soon find itself on a shelf or thrown out as refuse.
- The disciple’s main focus should be on his relationship with God as it is the wellspring of his faith and purpose.
- Application – Do I continue to grow in maturity, or have I fallen behind in my growth? If I have fallen behind, am I taking steps to correct the problem?