The Pruning Season

February 3, 2011
Based on Scripture reflection from John 15:2, "and every tree that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit."

Farmers know that pruning happens every year.  I saw a video on how to prune a vine & it had diagrams.  Some particular diagrams had fruit while others were completely empty, just lonely branches.  The vinedresser knows just because the vine doesn't have fruit at a certain time doesn't mean it's unfruitful.  It just means it's not the season of harvest.  My friend Laura wrote an email about this topic:

"Every season is not a harvest season.  There are plowing seasons, planting seasons, watering seasons, etc.  Without the other seasons we wouldn't really be prepared or fully matured.  It is during the plowing season (pruning) that God brings to light what needs to be dealt with."

Pruning is good & right.  Even though it may not look like anything worthy of fruit is happening-that is exactly what is going on. The vinedresser knows that pruning will make the branches able to produce more & even better fruit. 

 Humbled & joyful-being pruned should leave us in this state of mind of two seemingly opposites; knowing we can't do it all & we need God, but God loves us & is completely smitten by us & He wants my joy to be full John 15:11, "that your joy may be full."

The most healthy & beautiful fruit come from vines that have been pruned & tended to.  Pruning is like being humbled: no leaves, no fruit, empty, naked, torn, seemingly useless. But when we see that it's not us it's the vindresser, it's not the branches rather it's the vine, then we can rejoice & be happy with the pruning because we trust the vine, the vinedresser & the process of growing fruit. 

Joy in humility
How can we be happy when we are aware of our wretched putrid sin?  When we're truly humble, we see don't see us anymore, we see God.  And He is the reason for our joy because of who He is. Zephaniah 3:19 "God says, "I will save the lame... I will appoint them for praise & fame in every land where they were put to shame." I trust that fruit will grow because the vine dresser is cultivating me. Pruning makes us ever aware that it's not about the branches, but about the vinedresser.