True Vine

Exhaustion, burn out, a general weariness with life and its pace seems to be a diagnosis of many in our world today. Where do you get your juice from? What is your life source? Where do you find refreshment in the middle of the daily race? Part of our problem is our lack of focus on the spiritual side of life. We spend the majority of time and energy, give most of our attention to the physical and material demands. Nothing in the physical and material world has the capacity to bring lasting renewal to our person. The promise of Isaiah is 'they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.' The spiritual side of life, which is really the foundation and heart of all of life, needs our attention. In John 15 Jesus paints a beautiful picture of the Christ centered life. He is the True Vine, the source for life and we have the privilege of being a branch. His invitation to us is , 'abide/remain in Me.' The eternal, Divine life flows from the True Vine into His branches. Christ's presence, His life in us is the source for renewal, refreshment and bearing fruit. Apart from Him, we can do nothing, except exhaust ourselves chasing life. I must learn to practice His presence, to cultivate this fellowship. As I focus my heart upon Jesus Christ, I find the Source that is sufficient, consistent and generous. In Christ is Life (John 1:4).

Jesus The Gate

Growing up in rural Ohio, farming was everywhere. Because of the presence of livestock, gates were everywhere. Fields were marked by fences and gates. Opening and closing gates was important to keep everything where it needed to be. In John 10 Jesus identifies himself as the "Gate." It seems a crude picture for Someone so full of grace and mercy. Yet it is a powerful picture. A gate gives us access to something, provides a way through a barrier, and controls who has access to something or someplace. Jesus is the gate to eternal life. There are not a bunch of gates, there is One Gate that gives access to the Father in heaven and eternal life. Jesus Christ is mankind's hope. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith. As Jesus states, all others are thieves and robbers. Their intention is selfish, greedy. Christ's intent is to give the sheep access to life. His intent is to provide safe pasture for His sheep. Previous to this story, a blind man, a nobody in Jesus' culture walked through the gate of faith and began to see life as never before. The Pharisees refused to go through the gate and find that life, remaining blind in their arrogance and sin. Jesus the Gate gives us access to eternal life, to the heart of the Father. He provides the way through the barrier of sin, guilt, condemnation and shame. The Father in heaven has opened the gate wide. He stands at the gate inviting-whosoever will may come. There will come a day when the gate will be shut. Until then, 'today is the day of salvation'.