Working in the yard the other day I noticed our fig tree had quite a few figs on it at various sizes and stages of maturity. I walked up to get a closer look and realized there were some branches with lots of figs and some with a few and some with none. There were other branches that didn't look so good and some that were wilting. God brought to my mind the parable of the vine and the branches found in the book of John chapter 15. Jesus is the vine, we are the branches and the fruit is the evidence of God's presence (Holy Spirit) flowing through us to others. The evidence (fruit) should be seen in the way we live as we are transformed into the image of His Son, Jesus, not only in our countenance but in our actions. The same miraculous power that raised Jesus from the dead flows through us as the branches attached to the vine receive life giving nourishment to produce fruit. The branches can do nothing without the vine. The branches that produce the most fruit are the ones receiving the most nourishment from the vine. A branch that is restricted will create resistance to the life-giving flow and produce less and less fruit. When the restriction is removed and the resistance turns to surrender the vine's nourishment flows freely and the fruit is abundant.
Lord help us recognize the restrictions and resistance we have in our lives that keep us from receiving the abundant life-giving nourishment we so desperately need from you. I surrender all.