“I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” John 15:1-2 NIV

Pruning

We have five large apple trees that we have not paid much attention to until this summer. My husband watered the trees more than usual, and kept a close eye on the fruit that was forming. Now we have more apples than we can possibly use, and after making batch after batch of crock pot apple butter, and using the juicer to make apple juice, and slicing and cooking them to make cinnamon apples, and chopping, cooking, and mashing them into applesauce… we are now giving them away.

Two years ago we pruned one tree with branches that touched the ground. For one year that tree had no fruit, but the second year was an abundant harvest. What is it about pruning that causes such growth?

I looked in a gardening book to see the real reasons for pruning, so I could better understand the Scripture in John quoted above. Here is what I learned:

  • Pruning maintains order in the garden.
  • Pruning directs growth.
  • Pruning improves health.
  • Pruning increases production.

Now this Scriptureʼs meaning is clear. First, our Lord must maintain order in the garden (our lives). Branches can cross one another and block the sunlight from penetrating deep into the tree, thus preventing growth. By pruning what has grown too big in our lives, we are in a position to receive the Sonʼs light that will penetrate our deepest parts.

Then, the Lord prunes in a certain manner so that growth goes in the direction He chooses. He may make some painful changes to our natural but wild pattern of growth so that we will be useful to Him.

Next, the Lord makes us healthy by cutting out what is sickened, diseased, or stunted. The fruit of a puny branch is sickly, small, undeveloped, and not very tasty. Such a branch is prone to bug infestations and attacking diseases, just as our own sinful natures are prone to allow the enemyʼs attacks without any defenses.

Lastly, the Lordʼs plan is always that we bear much fruit. A tree that is healthy, receiving the sunlight, with branches growing in the direction the gardener knows is best, will be productive. Remember this when we cry, “Why am I going through this?” The Master Gardener is cutting away the diseased and crooked branches of our own lives so the Son can shine His light on us and we can grow and produce much fruit!

Lord, itʼs painful when You trim and cut out things we think we need, or things we have gotten comfortable with, or things that are making us sick and not useful; but we know that Your plan is for us to bear fruit. You know just what needs to be cut, so help us to be thankful for Your pruning in our lives. In Jesusʼ name, Amen.