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| Like a tree, you may be being pruned. |
Could You be in a Pruning
Season?
Leonard R. Davidson
"every branch that bears fruit
(blooms), He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit (bloom even
more)" - John 15:2 (NASB).
A weeping, flowering cherry tree is one of the
most beautiful of all of the ornamental trees.
We bought my mother-in-law one for Mother's
Day many years ago. She was so excited.
Being a certified nurseryman, I planted the
tree exactly the way it should be done. The next year it bloomed nicely — and
even better the next year.
However, after about four or five years, my
mother-in-law called me right after the tree had bloomed.
She expressed concern because the tree barely
bloomed at all that spring. In fact, she said it was pitiful.
The next time we went for a visit, I took my
pruning clippers and small pruning saw. While she watched, I got the ladder and
went to work.
Several times I heard her say, "O my," and "O
dear."
Correct, effective pruning is different than
just "shearing" the tree to look like a lollipop.
There are two basic types of branches that
need to be removed. The first is a branch that is growing the wrong
direction.
These branches rub the other branches and
can cause disease. They also block out the sunlight that is needed
for flower buds to form.
The other type of branch to prune is a
"sucker" branch that shoots out beneath the graft. These
branches are incredibly dangerous to the life of the tree.
They will draw all of the strength and energy
from the tree into themselves, and the tree will often die — but only
above the graft, which is where the blooms grow.
When I completed pruning, there were enough
trimmings to fill a pickup truck.
My mother-in-law had gone inside and explained
to the rest of the family that she was very sure I had killed her tree.
I told her to trust me, but it was pretty
obvious that I had lost "favorite son-in-law" status.
Then, nine long months later, I received a
phone call from her.
She was so excited. Her tree had bloomed — and
not just bloomed.
It was covered in so many blooms
that it looked like a huge pink snowball. And my "status" was
instantly reinstated (whew).
John 15 says that we are the vine, and
that our heavenly Father is the Vinedresser.
Verse 2 says that "every branch that bears
fruit (blooms), He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit (bloom
even more)" (NASB,
emphasis added).
Hebrews 12 tells us that the Father
disciplines the children He loves. We picture that as the proverbial
"spanking," or punishment.
In reality, the word discipline has
the same root as the word disciple.
Our Father loves us so much that He wants to
disciple us — and sometimes He uses pruning to do just that.
He prunes the "branches"
of our lives that are growing the wrong way.
He prunes the branches that are
growing from beneath the "graft," sprouting out of our flesh.
This pruning is not done to hurt us
or punish us. We are not being sent into the corner, grounded until we decide
to "be good."
No! That's not it at all. He is
simply pruning us to make us more like His Son.
He lovingly disciples us to look and
act like Jesus.
How deeply He loves us! He loves us
enough to prune branches that have some blooms — in order
that we can have many blooms.
This week in your Christ walk journey,
understand that the "testing and trial" time that you are going
through may in fact be a time of pruning.
Try to understand that this is a sure sign
that your Father loves you — that He desires for you to "bloom."
Not just a few small simple blooms, but tons
of blooms with lots of fruit.
Perhaps some of your branches have begun to
grow in the wrong direction.
Or maybe your flesh has "sprouted" a
branch that, if left un-pruned, would drain the strength out of your spirit and
your spiritual life.
It's an unholy branch that would eventually
destroy your effectiveness, causing you to have no beautiful blooms and no
fruit.
Blooms display a healthy, vibrant, intimate
walk.
Relax! Your Father is lovingly pruning
you.
When the "springtime" of your
journey comes around again (and it will), you will bloom more beautifully than
ever. I promise.
Prayer Power for the Week
This week thank God that He prunes the
"branches" of your life that are growing the wrong way, and that He
knows what He is doing to get the most beautiful results.
Determine to stay connected to the vine
(Jesus) so that you can produce the abundance of fruit He desires for you.
Continue to pray for an outpouring of His Holy
Spirit around the world, and especially in our own country.
Pray that the body of Christ would unite in
prayer and purpose to see God's will done on earth as in heaven.
Continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem,
the persecuted church and those in authority over us. John 15; Hebrews 12; I Timothy 2:1-4
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