Abide in me

November 7, 2007: Psalm 55; John 15

Abide in me, and I in you.
(John 15:4)

This image of the true vine and the vinedresser and the branches, with the repeated call to "abide in me", is to me one of the most enduring and endearing images of discipleship and spiritual formation. While the imagery is beautiful - simple, agrarian, warm (feels like being with good friend talking by a fire - and I don't mean the bonfire burning all the dead branches!) - I think really it is speaking of developing a life with disciplines like prayer and meditating on God's Word (again couldn't that be like being with a good friend talking by a fire, or watching a sunset, or walking at the beach?).

While "abide in me" is perhaps the "how" and "why" and an absolute priority, when I look over the passage again I recognize that the "what" (the passage is about) or the point of this beautiful metaphor is the glorifying of the Father through bearing fruit (which itself, of course, is a metaphor). Jesus begins:

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit."

After several more references to bearing fruit, he ends his talk about branches and the vine, by saying:

"By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples."

"If" we abide in him, draw our life from him and his words and his love, our lives will begin to look like his. More than that, somehow, our lives will be his, his life and love and word flowing through ours...

So, the million dollar question is, what is the fruit he's looking for?
Just sticking with this passage, surely it is his love, and his joy.
(You could also say answered prayer, v. 7, 16)


Give us grace, Lord, to truly abide in you and your words and your love, day by day and moment by moment, that we may glorify the Father by loving one another.