Divine Pruning

      There is something satisfying about pruning and trimming away the dead limbs and branches of a bush or tree. By pruning the plant, the old unproductive limbs are removed making room for new grow and the desired shape can then be formed. When we grew Christmas trees, we would start when the tree was very young shaping and pruning the branches so that the tree would produce thick growth. The goal would be to produce a tree so thick that when it was old enough to sell, you could not see through the tree. This would not happen without pruning.

      Many of you have pruned grape vines, which need to be trimmed correctly and at the right time in order to produce grapes. Fruit trees are the same way. If left to grow on their own, shoots, sprouts, and suckers would begin growing wildly in many directions. Soon the tree or vine would be all foliage and no fruit.

      As images of scraggly and misshapen vines, trees, and bushes flooded my mind, I began to think about what Jesus was really talking about in John 15. Prior to this portion of Jesus’ farewell conversation with his disciples, we find Jesus inviting us to be “in him,” as he is “in the Father.” Now Jesus is saying if we are to stay “in him” on a daily basis, we must have our lives pruned just as the gardener prunes a vine. Maybe what Jesus is saying here has much in common with what is reflected in Lent.

      These verses bring to mind certain thoughts and words; words like “promise,” “expectations,” “relationship,” and “judgment.” Looking at this grapevine, I can hear Jesus saying, “I am the true vine. There are other vines, but I am the true one. You, my disciples, my church, the ones who call yourselves Christians, are the branches on my vine. God, my Father, is the one who looks after my vine and prunes the branches. Because you are connected to me, we are in relationship to each other. I want that relationship to be permanent, based on love. Just as the Father and I love each other, I want our relationship to be one of mutual love. If we do not stay connected, branch to vine, you will begin to die and stop bearing fruit. If that happens, my Father will prune you from my vine and throw you into the fire.”

     In one sense, the pruning that Jesus teaches here involves getting rid of the things in our lives that cause us not to be in the kind of relationship with God that he wants. We are on the vine, but if we want to stay, we must allow God to cut away and prune our habits and behaviors. If Jesus is abiding in our lives, he will tell us from time to time about those things that we do, think, feel that are not pleasing to him. God will want to “prune away” those things that are incompatible with the Christian walk.

      I believe Lenten resolutions should be all about opening our very souls to the divine gaze and the “pruning knife” of our Father who desires for us to be like his son Jesus. This often painful confession and exposure should not be confined to only forty days, but should be a part of our daily conversation with God. The stripping away of ourselves until there is nothing left, but love for God and our brothers and sisters, will produce the fruit of which Jesus speaks. We cannot forget God’s promise that he wants to abide with us, he wants to stick with us, and he wants us to produce good fruit for his kingdom. The words of Jesus also tell us that God has not given up on his church, his vine and branches, nor has be abandoned us. He has not stopped looking for people who are willing to abide in him and produce good fruit. Perhaps, that is why God keeps on pruning us, his disciples, his church; he wants good fruit. 

Rev Tim McConnell, Long’s Chapel UMC, March 17, 2013