The Life That Bears Fruit
"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."
—John 15:4-5
In the quiet rhythm of a tree’s growth, we see a picture of our dependence on Christ. A branch does not strive, strain, or exhaust itself trying to bear fruit. It simply remains connected, allowing the life of the tree to flow through it. So it is with us—our only source of spiritual life and fruitfulness is Christ Himself.
Jesus’ words in this passage make it clear: apart from Him, we accomplish nothing of lasting spiritual value. The best efforts of the flesh may impress for a time, but they lack true life. A branch that tries to operate independently from the vine withers and becomes useless. But when it remains connected, drawing its life from the vine, the natural result is an abundant harvest.
Our role is not to manufacture fruit but to abide—to trust Christ to live His life through us. This is the grace of God at work. We humbly acknowledge that all life, power, and transformation come from Him, and by faith, we rest in the certainty that His life in us will produce the fruit He desires. The result is not effort-driven religion but an organic, Spirit-led outflow of Christ’s character—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Abiding is not a formula; it is a way of life. It is the continual turning of our hearts toward Christ in trust and dependence, knowing that the One who called us to bear fruit is the One who provides everything needed for that fruit to grow.
Prayer of Trust
Father, thank You that the life of Christ is within me. I rest in the certainty that He is all I need for godly living. I trust You to produce in me what I could never achieve on my own. As I abide in Christ, I rejoice that His life flows through me, bringing forth the fruit that glorifies You. Amen.
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Devotional Source: Day by Day by Grace by Bob Hoekstra