Branching Out

Just recently, a dear friend was sharing a delightful story with me. She was telling how she was in the midst of a very hectic and not so great day, and she went to visit an elderly friend who began to ask her all sorts of deep questions about the Lord. My friend was amazed at what was coming out of her mouth! It seemed as if the perfect responses were already prepared for her. It was ALL GOD! And the most amazing part was that she didn't feel like she was in a good place with the Lord at all that day. She was busy, and tired, and distracted and...well, we've all been there haven't we? Yet, Jesus came through. Literally, He came through her! Imagine that. It wasn't her at all, it was HIM!

What is so precious and wonderful about this story, (and we all have them), is that we are amazed when this happens. We are amazed that God would come through us when we are so "unprepared."  But if we take a moment to ponder it more fully, we will realize that when God chooses to move through us it is always Him, and never us! Think about it. What we are really saying is, "Wow God, You were totally able to do it without me!!" That is just too funny!

"I am the vine. You are the branches. Those who live in me while I live in them will produce a lot of fruit. But you can't produce anything without me." John 15:5

OK, so Jesus came and He died and then He came back and then He said He would abide in us and live in us and dwell in us and we would also abide and live and dwell in Him. "In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you." John 14:20. What does that mean? Does that mean that I have to muster things up on my own and try to make God proud of me? Or does it mean what it says? Is Jesus in Me, and am I in Him? And if this is true, then it would seem like all I have to do is show up and God also shows up. Wow. I am always and forever connected to Him. I can't produce anything without Him, but He took care of that by always being in me, and by keeping me always in Him.

This, my friends, is a win-win scenario. I don't know about you, but I am experiencing a greater freedom along with this revelation. I am no longer trying to make things happen because I need to do it for God, nor am I afraid to speak because I might not have enough Scripture memorized or maybe I didn't pray long enough. He is the vine, and I am a branch. I am always connected to Him. So, I guess you could say I am branching out.