What I Learned From that Stubborn Vine

Y'all, I've got a lot of trees in my yard.  A lot.  It's finally starting to dry up a bit, and there's  a lot of yard work to be done.   Weeds are sprouting up everywhere and vines beginning to climb up the trees.  Actually, there are a lot of vines that have wrapped themselves around my trees and around the branches, almost to the top.  It's time, the vines have to go.

I cut the vines at the bottom by the ground, then gave them a tug to see if I could pull them out of the tree.  For some, the vine just didn't want to let go.  It had wound itself so tightly that I wasn't sure I would be able to pull it down.  So I tugged and tugged, because I really needed that vine to come down, and I really didn't want to lose the battle.  It wouldn't budge.  But then, as if it had a mind of it's own, the vine slowly began to unwind itself and let go.  Just like that.  And once it started, it just LET GO.

Later that evening when I began gathering all the weeds and vines that I had cut and removed, I was amazed at how quickly the vines had begun to die.  Once they were cut and removed from the tree, from their source of life, they began withering and turning brown almost immediately.   

I couldn't help but think about John Chapter 15 where Jesus says  "If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 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.   

When we stray from the Word, and from our heavenly Father, our source of life, are we like the vine that was able to hold on for a period, then just let go?  When we cut off the source of life, how long can we stand on our own before we wither away and die?  

During this time that we can't physically meet together as a church, I encourage you, if you don't already, to spend time in the Word daily with your family.  Make it a habit, so that it naturally becomes part of your daily routine and encourage your kids to do the same!