The Vinedresser

Well it has been a while since I have been able to sit down and write. My life has been blowing and going like crazy recently. I have traveled almost 3,000 miles in the past two weeks and am starting to feel it. I have not been eating well. I have spent too much money. I have no semblance of a routine in my sleep schedule, work schedule or life schedule. I have not consistently been in the Word. I have not cleaned my apartment, taken a shower, done laundry or done dishes in the past 3 months. (One of these is a lie, guess.)

Even though I have been going, going, going, I have enjoyed the people that I have been able to see; friends from high school, great friends from college, family, and many other great friends. I have gotten to hang with some great people here in Midland as well. I am beginning to make a life here. Kind of.

In the past two weeks I have experienced great highs (beautiful wedding, productive days at work, growing friendships) but have also experienced some deep lows. I got word this past weekend that Mallory Brandenburg’s mom died after a long battle with cancer. Sheri was basically my second mom for five years while Mal and I were dating, so it was a tough blow to take. The outpouring of love shown at the funeral by the community was impressive. Sheri was a loved woman who will be greatly missed. I was so encouraged to see Mal and others trusting God even through these tough times.

‘Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the times to come. Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but the woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.’ –Proverbs 31:25, 30

Our pastor has been talking about trials over the past month or so. When trials come we either choose an endless cycle of self or a dirt path towards trusting God. The cycle of self usually starts with thinking that we deserve something different than what we have been given, whether that is respect, love, stuff or circumstances. We then allow bitterness and unrepentance to grow in our hearts, which leads us back to thinking we deserve more, and the cycle continues.

The path towards trusting God begins with a prayer for wisdom (James 1:2-8). Wisdom is having perspective and right understanding of the world. Wisdom leads to dying to self (Galatians 2:20). Once we have given up our rights, then we are free to pursue Christ. However, pursing Christ always leads to times of waiting and trusting. Others have called these times ‘The valley of the shadow of death’, ‘Dark night of the soul’ or ‘Winter time’. God uses these times of ‘dryness’ and ‘darkness’ to grow, change, and prune us.

Our pastor used John 15 to give the analogy of the vinedresser. In a vineyard, winter is the most important time in the life of the vines. The vinedresser uses that time to prune off the dead parts of the vine and also to weave the branches that have grown far out from the main vine back into the main vine. If he leaves the dead parts, the vine will not grow the quantity or quality of fruit that the vinedresser desires. Also, if the branch stays away from the main vine, he will not be able to bear the weight of the fruit that he produces nor will he continue to be a part of the life that the main vine gives.

I hope you see the parallels between the vinedresser and God, the main vine and God, the branches and us and winter time as a vital part to the production of the vine. God desires that we bear fruit and will do whatever it takes to make that happen.

Ultimately, trials come into our lives to build a firm foundation of faith and trust in God. Faith is believing that God is here and everything is from His hand. Trials are not meant to wear us down, but to give us hope that God is in control.

I know that I needed to hear that and ultimately need to trust that God is fully active in every part of my life. I hope this encourages you.