My baby’s cry grew in intensity. She was trying to tell me she was hungry. She’s too young to get the bottle herself or open the lid. I retrieved the bottle with one hand while holding her with the other, found a comfy chair, unscrewed the lid, and then fed her with the much wanted and needed milk.

Her dependency on me reminded me of how much I rely on God to feed me spiritually. My daughter had to wait while I used my free hand to get her bottle prepared. I wait because God knows best just when and how to bless me with His mighty hand. Without me to remove the lid, my baby couldn’t access her milk. If God doesn’t open the door for me, I can’t access His plan.

The Lord supplies all of our needs, and our own efforts will never suffice to do what only He can do. In our text, Jesus reminds us of our incapacity and encourages us to connect to the very source of life in order to receive spiritual nourishment, just as the branches rely on the vine to grow and bear fruit. “Remain in me, as I also remain in you.”

Without the Lord giving life to our efforts and service, and by us being fed spiritually, we are limited to simple human results. If we want to see lives transformed, souls coming to Christ, and have fruitful ministries, we must stay connected to Jesus, realizing our dependency upon Him, and be fed by the Vine.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your life-giving Word. Help me to align my priorities so that you remain at the center of all things. May I remain in you and You in me, and that I am dependent upon you to nourish me. I love you, Lord. Amen.

Go Deeper ― See which areas of your life could use a little tweaking to be more about Jesus. Let God work with you right where you are. He just wants you to turn your heart towards Him as you rely on Him to nourish you.



Tags: The Gospel of John John 15
Photo Credit: Jesse Belleque