The phrase “fruitless and fret filled” describes too many of us.
We don’t want it to. We long to follow Paul’s admonition:
Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. — Philipians 4:8 NLT
With a grimace and fresh resolve, we determine, Today I will think only true, honorable, and right thoughts… even if it kills me.
Paul’s call to peace can become a list of requirements: every thought must be true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise.
Gulp. Who can do this?
Confession: I find the list difficult to keep. Heaven knows, I’ve tried. A random idea will pop into my head, and I’ll pass it through the passage. Was it true, honorable, pure… What’s next? I have trouble remembering the eight virtues, much less remembering to filter my thoughts through them. Maybe the list works for you. If so, skip this chapter. If not, there is a simpler way.
- Make it your aim to cling to Christ. Abide in him.
Is He not true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise? Is this not the invitation of His message in the vineyard?
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. — John 15:4-10 NASB
Jesus’ allegory is simple. God is like a vine keeper. He lives and loves to coax the best out of His vines. He pampers, prunes, blesses, and cuts. His aim is singular: “What can I do to prompt produce?” God is a capable orchardist who carefully superintends the vineyard.
And Jesus plays the role of the vine. We non-gardeners might confuse the vine and the branch. To see the vine, lower your gaze from the stringy, winding branches to the thick base below. The vine is the root and trunk of the plant. It cables nutrients from the soil to the branches. Jesus makes the stunning claim, “I am the real root of life.” If anything good comes into our lives, He is the conduit.
And who are we? We are the branches. We bear fruit:
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.
— Galatians 5:22 NASB
We meditate on what is “true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable… excellent and worthy of praise” (Philippians 4:8 NLT). Our gentleness is evident to all. We bask in the “peace of God, which transcends all understanding” (Philippians 4:7 NIV).
And as we cling to Christ, God is honored.
My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. — John 15:8 NASB
The Father tends. Jesus nourishes. We receive, and grapes appear. Passersby, stunned at the overflowing baskets of love, grace, and peace, can’t help but ask, “Who runs this vineyard?” And God is honored. For this reason fruit bearing matters to God.
And it matters to you! You grow weary of unrest. You’re ready to be done with sleepless nights. You long to be “anxious for nothing.” You long for the fruit of the Spirit. But how do you bear this fruit? Try harder? No, hang tighter. Our assignment is not fruitfulness but faithfulness.
-
The secret to fruit bearing and anxiety-free living is less about doing and more about abiding.
Lest we miss this point, Jesus employs the word abide(s) ten times in seven verses:
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me… he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit… If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up… If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you… abide in My love... abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. — John 15:4-10 NASB
“Come, live in Me!” Jesus invites. “Make My home your home.” Odds are that you know what it means to be at home somewhere.
To be at home is to feel safe. The residence is a place of refuge and security.
To be at home is to be comfortable. You can pad around wearing slippers and a robe.
To be at home is to be familiar. When you enter the door, you needn’t consult the blueprint to find the kitchen.
