Thank You for Those Pruning Years

God provided an Eternal Lifeline (Israel) to fallen man. He likened Israel to a precious vineyard.....a "channel", if you will, created to provide everlasting fruit and life for all of humanity.

In Isaiah, Chapter 5 we read:

I will sing for the one I love
a song about his vineyard:
My loved one had a vineyard
on a fertile hillside.
He dug it up and cleared it of stones
and planted it with the choicest vines.
He built a watchtower in it
and cut out a winepress as well.
Then he looked for a crop of good grapes,
but it yielded only bad fruit.
Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and people of Judah,
judge between me and my vineyard.
What more could have been done for my vineyard
than I have done for it?
When I looked for good grapes,
why did it yield only bad?
Now I will tell you
what I am going to do to my vineyard:
I will take away its hedge,
and it will be destroyed….”
—Isaiah 5: 1-5

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing….. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” (John 15: 1…8)

Thank You for Those Pruning Years

Thank You for the True Vine, Father…
Thank You for that precious Wine.
Thank You for the hedge Eternal.
Thank You for Life’s blood Divine.

Thank You for this Grace provided,
Thank You for the Word You’ve sown.
Thank You for this Revelation,
Thank You for this Cornerstone.

Thank You for the way You found us.
Thank You as we wait and pray,
Planted here by Living Water,
Grafted-in along The Way.

Thank You for the eyes You opened,
Thank You for the Light we see.
Thank You for the Life provided,
And the Blessed Hope to be.

Thank You for these fruitful branches,
Thank You for those pruning years…
Thank You for the Gift You gave us,
And, yes, thank You for the tears.

Thank You for the Faith born in us,
Thank You for the Veil You tore,
Thank You for this planned Redemption…
Thank You for the sin You bore.

And for this Just act of Mercy…
Thank You for sweet Calv’ry’s Cross,
Thank You for the Glory promised,
Help us, please, to count the cost.

Abiding in the Word

“Begin each day with Him in the morning, to know in truth that you are abiding in Him and He in you. Christ tells that nothing less will do. It is not your willing and running, it is not by your might or strength, but—‘by My Spirit, saith the Lord.’ Meet each new engagement, undertake every new work, with an ear and heart open to the Master’s voice: ‘He that abideth in Me, beareth much fruit.’ See you to the abiding; He will see to the fruit, for He will give it in you and through you.”
—Andrew Murray