I love fresh flowers! The artful arrangements of beautiful flowers and foliage take my breath away! I love the different hues of roses in lush flower designs; and try to keep the flowers alive for as long as I can.
I’m especially intrigued by mixed bouquets with blooms in different stages! I love to watch the full blooms and admire the buds as they open up. I try different methods to keep the flowers fresh for longer – ranging from adding stuff to water (e.g. bleach, aspirin, sugar, copper coin) to spraying flowers with hair spray!
However no matter what I do, the flowers eventually wilt and die because they have been cut off from the source. Such is the life of everyone who is cut off from God.
“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:4-5
Like the flowers, when we are cut off from Jesus, things might still look fresh and beautiful for a while and the buds continue to open making everything look normal. With the fresh blooms and lush foliage, it is tempting to assume that everything is OK and the flowers do not have to be connected to the vine to flourish. The flowers might actually look better in the arrangement than on the branch. However, without God, all success is temporary and all joy is transient. God is the only source of true joy and a meaningful life.
Every effort to manage our lives without God is like using different tactics to keep fresh flowers alive for as long as possible- it can only be effective for a short time.
December is a great time to reflect on the year and review our relationship with God. You and I cannot afford to maintain a platonic relationship with God and reduce His power to an exit strategy for emergency situations. His power is available for daily living. We were saved to have days of heaven on earth and live in abundance. We are not to be ruled by the system of this world – all our needs are met supernaturally through the kingdom process.
“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” John 15:7
Why settle for life in a vase when you can be connected to the vine and bear an abundance of fruits?
Make a quality decision to put God first in your life and remain vitally connected to Him.
Amazingly everything you could ever wish for will be added to you when you seek God first – what a great deal!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I give you first place in my heart; Holy Spirit please guide my steps and teach me to stay connected to you in Jesus name. Amen
