Friday, May 8, 2009

Today’s text

John 15:1-5

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that bears no fruit he cuts away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes to make it bear even more. You are clean already, by means of the word that I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit all by itself, unless it remains part of the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, with me in him, bears fruit in plenty; for cut off from me you can do nothing.Reflection

You are the vine, O Christ. Through you flows the life of the infinite and eternal, the substance of the Father, the nectar of being and truth.

Apart from you we are, indeed, cut off, cut off from the source of our being, cut off from ourselves, cut off from the peace and unity that is our truest rest, cut off from our home.

Cut off from you we restless and searching, disconnected from the life and peace, the calm and rest, the vitality and purpose for which we hunger.

We hunger for the flow of life through our bodies. No mere knowing of mind will do.

We long for the experience of being filled and carried along in the flow of life coursing through body and soul, bearing us with joy into our days, filling us with assurance and certainty that we are born on by love.

It is love, then, that fills our hearts and strengthens our arms, our resolve. It is love that courses through the vine--and our bodies, truest joy and purpose filling and carrying us into tomorrow with unflagging hope.

How I hunger for this awareness, for you. How I wish I could make this experience happen just by willing it. It is the experience of being alive. Anything less won’t do; it can never satisfy the soul. The soul knows: I am made for more.

So I will seek to be humble and human, knowing the life flowing through the vine is not mine to order or control. It is the living life blood of Eternity’s love, a love which called me into being and presses to fill me--if I would but stay connected to the vine, the artery of every blessing, the Source of life that is life.

Let me humbly cleave as tightly to you as I can and wait for your life blood to fill me again … that I may live.

Pr. David L. Miller