Pruning – A Spiritual Object Lesson
Pruning is part of the process involved in growing beautiful roses. Today, we learn pruning is important in our spiritual life. How? Let’s find out.
Roses are my favorite flowers besides sunflowers. I have a dream to grow all variety of roses in my rose garden. In Adelaide, where I studied and lived for seven years before I got married to Dan, I would often look forward to my regular visits to the Botanic garden in the City of Adelaide. One of my favorite pastime was to visit the rose garden. It had a great variety of roses I could find in one single place. I spent at least a couple of hours just walking around the rose garden trying to remember the names of all the roses, which turned out impossible to remember all. I was never tired of such an activity.
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In California, Fresno, when I first settled down in this city. One of the joy I had, living in our rented house near my parents-in-law was taking care of a couple of roses in our front yard. They were rather miserable looking initially, needed much love and tender care. I did a major trim and pruning to the roses and watered them regularly. It turned out that I had a pretty show of roses that summer.
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Pruning – Object Lesson #3 In Gardening
In our previous lessons, we learned the very first sign of life produces a refreshing hope that can only be experienced at the arrival of spring. Refreshing hope comes from knowing Jesus in our object lesson about hope. Then, we learned in our second lesson that garden weeds are like sins, they are attractive but not place as intended. Through our object lesson #2 we learned the need to repent if we desired freedom from sins. And only Jesus is able to save and set us free. Our object lesson in gardening today is knowing the purpose and the pruning process of plants and fruit trees relates to what the Bible teaches about pruning.
Why Is Pruning Necessary?
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_jqgWXlUHM&feature=player_embedded
Pruning is necessary if you want a healthy plant or fruit tree, that is well-balanced and free from disease infestation. If interested to know some important facts about pruning, click on facts to learn more. One of the important fact I need to know about tending roses, is how to prune a rose plant correctly. To prune roses I need a good tough pair of garden gloves if I do not want my fingers pricked by the thorns. After learning the how to prune the roses, and watching the magnificent results, I always prune my roses every year in the season of winter when the roses are dominant.
What Does The Bible Say About Pruning?
The Bible talks about being pruned in the lives of the disciples in John 15: 1-17. Now according to the Bible, it says in John 15:1-8:
The True Vine
1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 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.
5 “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. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. (New King James Version)
Every beloved disciple of Jesus Christ will go through a process of being pruned by Him. Jesus says He is the vine, and His disciples are the branches. Every disciple that does not abide in Jesus and bear fruit, He will take away. And every disciple that bears fruit, He will prune that he/she may bear more fruit. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit on its own without abiding in the vine, so is a disciple of Jesus Christ who lives without abiding in Him. In verse 8, it implied that it is God’s intention that we as the disciples should bear much fruit because in doing so, we glorify Him. Therefore, the pruning process in the life of a true disciple is necessary for greater growth and bearing much fruit.
Sometimes it is easy to forget that the pruning process is good and necessary in the life of a disciple. It is painful it seems to undergo pruning, and often one forgets and thinks God does not love nor care for him/her. If we recall in verse 2, it says every branch that bears fruit He prunes. Why? That it may bear more fruit. Every disciples that are going through the process of being pruned, have to remember that YOU are precious and valuable to Jesus. He wants to see greater fruit in YOU. According to John 15:16, the Bible says in New American Standard Bible (NASB)
16 You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.
In conclusion, remember that pruning is good and necessary in the life of a true disciple of Jesus Christ, so that YOU may bear much fruit that would honor and glorify God the Vinedresser. May you be truly blessed this day.
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