WATCHWORD:
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:5-8
Meditation:
The IF of My Faith
In reading God’s Word, we encounter many conditionals and transitions. Sometimes it’s “therefore”, sometimes it’s “however”, or “although”, words that provide a contrast or a cause-and-effect, or sets up what is coming next. Note the “ifs” in the passage above, a reading that provides a choice; do this and the following will occur, i.e. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.
Verse 7, above, has two main portions; the conditional and the effect. First, If you remain in me and my words remain in you, that is the ‘if’ condition, very specific and to the point. Then the value that follows for the believer: ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
We’d like the Lord to grant us our every wish. Our faith is not a fiction story; rub the lamp and out pops the genie granting us our every fantasy and lo and behold we have everything our evil, lustful, prideful little mind would like to put together for our personal benefit.
No, Child of God, it doesn’t work that way. There is an “If” condition that God places before our yearnings, our desires. If we remain in Him and if His words remain in you, then we may ask anything we want (in keeping with His will) and it will be granted.
We would be well advised by the creator God to pay attention to Verse 6, the negative side of “if”: If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. Hell has no fury for those who choose to know better, to go their own way, to hurt their neighbor out of ego or pride. Keeping rubbing the lamp, hoping for the genie to grant your lustful wish, but but be advised, God will not be mocked!
Focus on this: We are charged by Jesus to remain in him, trusting him, and by resting in the complete sufficiency of his grace. This is a truth we are called to live by. Amen and amen.
Prayer:
Help us Heavenly Father to follow Your will every moment of our lives. To understand the conditional “ifs” in Your Word, given in love for us and your constant presence in our lives. It’s with gratitude for being Your children and we give you all the honor and glory, in the name of Jesus. Amen
