Painfully Pruned - When Your World Explodes – August 11 Readings: John 15:6-8

John 14-16: When Your World Explodes

Jesus knew, the night before his death, that the disciples' world was about to be blown to pieces. He would be arrested, tried, and crucified. They'd committed themselves to Jesus and he would be gone. In this powerful message, Jesus prepared the disciples to live in peace and spiritual power when the world around them was falling apart.

We will take the next three weeks delving into this passage.

Today's Reading: John 15:6-8 

6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples.

Through the Bible Readings: Job 33-34, Romans 3:1–20, Psalm 92:11–15, Proverbs20:4–5 

If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings. 

Devotional: Painfully Pruned    

This is not one of those Kimball passages, a feel-good Scripture to brighten your day and put a smile on your face. There are two possible meanings here, and neither is fun. 

Jesus speaks here of abiding in him, and warns that those who do not will be cut off and burned in the fire. Some take this as an indication that salvation can be forfeited, but that is not the point. 

Abiding in Christ is not about primarily but about our walk with him, about remaining close to Christ. Failing to abide is not about losing salvation but about losing the intimacy of our walk with Christ. The fire is not the eternal punishment of hell but speaks of God's discipline in believers lives. 

Is that comforting to you? Do you take pleasure in the fact that the salvation you received is eternal, that it cannot be forfeited? It is a marvelous truth, but it doesn't change the fact that the message of this passage is harsh and painful.  

Here is the truth: when there are aspects of your life that are not conformed to Christ God will step in and prune our lives. You are the tree and God is holding the shears. It is a violent process, a painful procedure. Snip. Cut. God goes to work on anything in your life that isn't conformed to him, anything that isn't according to his will. 

The end result is glorious. Even God's discipline in our lives is an act of grace. He works in us to conform us to Christ and to accomplish his work through us. When he confronts us, when he prunes us, it is always so that he can accomplish his greater works in us. 

Father, thank you for your work in me, even that painful pruning that sometimes takes place. May your grace abound in me and through me. 

Think and Pray:

Can you think of a time when you experienced God's pruning hand? 

What in your life might God be seeking to prune right now?