Pruned by the Word

Fifth Week of Easter

Every branch in me that bears no fruit he cuts away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes to make it bear even more. You are pruned already, by means of the word that I have spoken to you.

Jn.15:2,3

Jesus continues His final exhortation to the disciples at the Last Supper.  Here He  uses the analogy of vine and branches.  He is the vine, we are the branches.

At first reading the phrase Jesus says, “You are pruned already, by means of the word that I have spoken to you”, seems strange.  How can His words prune me?  But when I think about what a difference His words through inspired sacred scripture have made in my life, I can start to understand what He means.  His words have pruned me.  The old man is slowly being cut away each time I read scripture and let it touch my heart.  It happens to me each time I spend this morning time Scripture Journaling.

And the opposite happens as well.  Whenever I have periods of not listening to His words, not having my morning devotional time, the old weeds sprout up again within me.

What a wonderful gift scared scripture is.  It keeps the weeds at bay and enables good fruit to be borne.

Lord Jesus, You are my vine, I am Your branch.  Thank you for your word that keeps me pruned and rooted in You.

Little Flower, please pray for me.