Mature Obedience: Bearing Good Fruit

I’ve been simmering in the book of John for the last few weeks and just captivated by the truths of abiding in the vine (John 15). Because I am such a visual learner the analogy of me being the branches and God being the vine/vine dresser just clicks in my head.

I’m realizing me simply being the vessel for God to use is less about making a good harvest and more about me being a good healthy branch, to sustain the flow of the “wine” God wants to produce through me and also in me.

This connects to all sorts of realities that I actually wrote about previous…here; recognizing it’s way less about the things I do and way more about the way I am living surrendering to God.

But I want to hone in on and recognize the need to be a healthy branch to be used. The best fruit comes from mature obedience in abiding in the work of the vine.

I’ve been reading “A long obedience in the same direction” by Eugene Peterson (highly recommend it to all) he says “A Christian who has David in his bones, Jeremiah in his bloodstream, Paul in his fingertips and Christ in his heart will know how much and how little value to put on his own momentary feelings and the experience of the past week. Obedience is not a stodgy plodding in the ruts of religion, it is a hopeful race toward God’s promises.”

I really admire Eugene after reading his book “A burning in my bones” by Winn Collier; Winn basically interviews Eugene about his life and it spill out of his faithfulness to the same church community and serving people even when he had differing desires and tough realities. His life really examples a faithful pursuit of serving God in the secret place and the ordinary. Nothing about his life as a Pastor was glamorous and even noteworthy —just faithful, consistent and obedient.

The older I get the more I realize I just want to have a faithful life marked with trusting God, serving His people and being obedient to His voice. I don’t need or even really want to be known for anything just quiet faithfulness through every season to the King of Heaven. Taking every moment captive and listening intentionally to the Holy Spirit lead. I think that would be a life well lived —abiding in the vine.

“Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.” Psalm 84:5-7