TREE BRANCHES

Recently while driving around town I noticed in a short three blocks, there were six different buildings where different church groups have meetings. Not that this was anything new. As I proceeded I heard this, ‘There might be many branches on my tree… but I’m the Tree’ Jesus. This was not particularly what I wanted to hear in my snooty judgmental mood.

This could only mean that what the Lord considers a ‘branch’ could be quite different than what I consider a branch. It also means it doesn’t make a dime’s worth of difference what I think. The Father is the Forester, Gardener and Caretaker of all this stuff.

John 15 immediately came to mind, “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” (15:1-5) However, there might be an existing branch that bears no fruit…for the present…but not forever.

I am thinking this Tree and branch thing is pretty well taken care of and under control. So, I’m headed over to the other side of the Pond to work on a Doctrinal Statement for the new Pond Church which will be called the ‘We Have it All Figured Out Church at The Pond.’ But first I need to have some Cuban Coffee and Roz’s Buttermilk Biscuits and Dark Karo Syrup to help me get my mind settled and my tail up from dragging behind me.

“Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.” Jesus