Stay Connected

You may not think much about the fruits and vegetables sitting at your local produce store but they are, in fact, dying.  No need for tears, for it is simply what happens to fruits and vegetables once they are harvested for us to eat.  Though they look healthy enough, and will continue to look that way for a while, depending on the type of produce and how it is stored, but they are in fact dying or spoiling and nothing can prevent this eventuality.

 

Similarly too, we need to stay connected to our source of life or we will die – not physically but, more important, spiritually.  As Jesus in John 15:5 said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing”.  “Without Me you can do nothing”,  is a mighty and powerful statement that I am sure many disconnected secularists would laugh at, as they list the number of “things” they believe they can do without being connected to Jesus.  However, the fact of the matter is very similar to the disconnected produce.  It may for a time be quite editable and appear to be perfectly good, like the disconnected soul doing his circus act of “things”, but don’t be fooled they are both dying, the produce physically and the man spiritually.

More importantly, you will not have life (eternal life), if you are stay apart from the Lord as John 15:6 reads, “Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned.”

So, I know what your next burning question is.  How do I stay connected?  It’s very simple, John 15:10 gives you the exact formula, “If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.”  And what is one of Jesus’ commandments?  Well you don’t have to go much further to find that out too.  John 15:12-13 “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.  No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

May you always stay connected with Our Lord and Savior.  You will thank God you did!  Amen!!