Lent Meditations
40 Days in the Vineyard
Day 11: Remain in me, as I also remain in you
There is a symbiotic relationship between the vine and the branches. Remaining IN Jesus means there's a total transfer of life-giving water from Jesus (the vine) to us (the branches). Nothing is held back.
Day 12: No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine
Our fruitfulness is dependent on staying connected to Jesus through ALL the seasons. Fruit grows on second-year wood, not on first-year wood because it takes that long for a bud to develop the internal system of leaves and fruit. It must remain in the vine for a second year to produce fruit.
Day 16: If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit
Making our home in Jesus and letting Jesus take up residence in our life is the core principle of our spiritual life. The result of this is, very naturally, fruitfulness. The deep and necessary connection between the vine and the branches can be understood in many ways, but grafting shows the importance of the connection.
Day 20: If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish...
One of the key decisions a vineyard manager makes every year is what cover crop to plant during the winter that will feed the soil with the nutrients the vine needs to flourish. A cover crop is a crop planted to specifically benefit the soil but is not intended to be harvested.
Day 22: As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; now, remain in my love
The hard-working vine draws up nutrients from soil and water, distributing the nutrient-rich water out to the branches that are connected to the vine. The fruit, the pride and joy of the gardener hangs on the branches. But the symbiotic relationship would not be complete without photosynthesis.
Day 24: Just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love
Since Jesus was fully and equally God, his will was always in alignment with the Father’s will. Since Jesus was fully human, he had to choose obedience. Jesus showed us what it looks like to be fully human in joyful submission to God, remaining in love as a result.