the Third Week after Easter
Click here to join the effort!
Daily Devotionals
John Gossner's Treasury
I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I In him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. John 15:5. My well-beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? Isaiah 5:1-4.
O most holy mystery of the soul’s closest union with Christ, its head! Yes, it is certainly true: What more couldst Thou have done to Thy vineyard? Thou in us, and we in Thee. Couldst Thou come nearer to us? Shouldst Thou not expect divine fruits on the branches, when the vine is divine? Must Thou not become angry when Thou, notwithstanding all that Thou hast done and doest in us, yet canst not find grapes, no perfect fruits, but only wild grapes in us? Beloved, consider what manner of branches you are. Where are the grapes? (Galatians 5:22-24). If you do not find these, you undoubtedly lack the right connection, the right communion with the vine: it is impossible that you are in Christ. But if you find wild grapes (Galatians 5:19-21), or at least some of them in you, it is clear that you have never seen or known the vine; for then you walk in the flesh and not in the Spirit; in Belial, not in Christ. Oh, let us make use of His glorious grace. Is it not pure grace that Jesus is our vine; unites us, as branches, to Himself, and bears fruit in us and with us which we may enjoy? If He, without being in us, or without permitting us to be in Him, demand fruits of us, then we were undoubtedly lost. But now we have no excuse if we do not remain in Him.
In Him ever would I be abiding.
In Him meat and drink and peace I have;
In His gracious arms my place of hiding;
Soul and body both His love will save.
