In The Pruning

I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch that does not bear fruit He takes away, and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. (John 15:1-2NKJV)

 

In The Pruning Abiding in “The Vine”

In the pruning, fear, uncertainty ahead
No hope for my future. Look!  It is dead
Cutting away the branches, in fear I shuttered
why are You are You killing me? Quietly I muttered

Taking away everything You know, I need
What? I don’t have time to begin again from seed
It’s not over You say, this is my new beginning
Back to the basics, Lord why are You grinning

Why does this seem to make You smile
I’m uncovered, alone, exposed, during this trial
I get the feeling this was planned for me
Lord what is it You are wanting me to see

Then something began I couldn’t understand
A newness deep in my roots springing up from the land
I sensed blossoms and blooms with the rising of the sap
As if I was awakening from a long winters nap

Would anyone believe to ever see
That My Perfect Gardner is not angry with Me
Only insuring I would bear much fruit in time
but in this season, good fruit, fruit from “The Vine.”

Saying OK, go ahead kill me if You must
I want to know wholeness and to fully trust
That what You said will become reality
The dreams and the promises, pruned into finality

So cut away anything hindering production
I will abide in “The Vine” during reduction
Though You slay me I will believe and trust
You are merciful and good, and never unjust

but I have a question Lord, if I may ask;
did You believe in me, prior to this task?
That I could make it and not quit or faint
Your Spirit poured into me, without restraint (Zechariah 4:6)

When I was a bud beginning to grow
What I was to become, did You already know

When I was just blossom adorning this tree
Did You see what I was destined to be

Now on to grow and to become mature
This is going to take some time, that’s for sure
In maturing is where I’ll become tender and sweet
while young, before ripening, dry, bitter and incomplete.

The process is priceless with inconceivable riches
while abiding in “The Vine” becoming ripe and nutritious
“My Perfect Gardner did study to know
the climate the soil where best I would grow.” (excerpt form a poem I wrote in 2007)

So I continue by abiding in “The Vine,”
Remaining steadfast by spending time.
His desire is that I bear much fruit,
Attached to “The Vinedresser” at the root!

Never fear your pruning season
He has greater things ahead this is the reason.
So rest and recover, gather calm during transition
Our Perfect Gardner is pruning you safely to fruition.

 

 

Poem written by laurette laster © 2018 April

Photos captured by laurette laster © 2018 and 2019

 

God bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon and be gracious to you. God cause His countenance to rise upon you and give you Shalom.

I pray you continue to bloom to the glory of God and that you never fear the pruning process, or the many seasons, especially your winter seasons. In order for fruit trees to mature, and grow, and bear more fruit, they must endure many seasons. The seasons have varying temperatures and conditions; drought, rain, wind, lightening, hail and cold dark dormant times. Yet each of these are what help the tree yield it precious fruit. And you also shall yield precious fruit fit for The Master, if you surrender to the process.  You will be pruned and you shall bear fruit, if you continue to abide in The Vine.

I thought I would surely die in the beginning. It wasn’t that I wasn’t saved, it was that I had never made Jesus The Lord of my life. He was my Savior but I sure wasn’t bearing fruit from “The Vine” While allowing myself to be pruned, the cutting away of my codependent (fear based) attachments and idols was frightening. But somewhere deep inside, I had a hope, and somehow I knew it was Him. So I surrendered and the rest is still growing. I thought for sure I couldn’t make it, But God.

Jesus said “Abide in Me, and I in you, As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”  (John 15:4 NKJV)

Until next time, thank you for listening with me. Laurette