John 15:1-5
15:1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower.
15:2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit.
15:3 You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you.
15:4 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.
15:5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.
15:2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. 15:3 You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you.
15:4 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.
15:5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.
The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden. - Isaiah 58:11 (NRSV)
Gardening is my husband’s favorite hobby. He especially loves bringing home sick or dying plants that his co-workers have thrown away. He nurtures them by giving one extra water, another fertilizer. He trims off diseased leaves. Over time, he carefully restores these withered brown plants to life. Sometimes they even surprise us with blooms. I used to grumble about the ugly plants cluttering our windowsill. Then one day as I watched my husband working with these sick and dying plants, 
I saw instead Christ’s hands gently caring for me. I was broken and sick when Christ took me in. Many of us are. But he provides each of us what we need to grow. He doesn’t care if we are sickly. He restores us to life, abundant life. Christ sees the promise in us when no one else does, and through his tender care, we can bloom. Prayer - Dear Sustainer of life, thank you for seeing beyond our brokenness. Feed us your word to make us strong, and trim off branches that don’t bear fruit for you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Prayer focus - Bearing your fruit by building others up
“If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”” -Luke 11:13
