By ZOE CANNON
GRATITUDE FOR THE GIFT OF FAITH
“These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full” (John 15:11).
Jesus was a joyful man. He is thrilled when we use the gifts God gave us to help bring His love and joy to others.
The 15th chapter of the gospel of John is short, yet packed full of instructions for life. It begins with these words: “I am the true vine and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does He prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you” (John 15: 1-3).
Jesus spoke these words to the disciples in first-century Galilee, but they are still important today! In John’s gospel, we can picture our world as a vineyard; God as the Gardner; and the Son of Man acknowledged as the vine. In this passage, Jesus tells us that if we remain in Him, we can ask for whatever we want and it will be done for us. If we keep the commandments and remain in His love, God will be glorified in all that we do. Jesus warns us that the world may hate us for this, but they hated Him first. He said, “Whoever hates me also hates my Father. But in order that the word written in their law might be fulfilled, they hated me without cause.” Disregarding truth!
The chapter ends with news about the Holy Spirit coming to be with all those who have been with Jesus from the beginning. We have this same Advocate to guide us! The redemption of Jesus on the cross, and the regeneration of grace from the Holy Spirit in our baptism, connect us to the love of God.
We are called to holiness and were created to help build up the Kingdom of God. Jesus spent His life on earth teaching us how to love God the Father so that we would not fall away from grace. He knew we would need a supernatural source of strength, so He provided us with God’s power through the Holy Spirit! Marriage and family are God’s plan for a healthy society, and our children teach us so much about life! There is nothing more fulfilling than helping them learn about the love of God.
Our son, his wife and their three children recently moved from Indianapolis to the beautiful countryside of Odon, Indiana. Our two-and-a-half-year-old granddaughter called on the phone to give a progress report about their new home. I answered to hear the sweet, excited voice of a little one who wanted me to know her Daddy had unpacked their yellow slide. She proceeded to tell me about the horses next door, the two ducks in the pond, and the visit she just enjoyed from her other Grammy and Poppy. Suddenly, there was a bit of panic in her voice as she began to yell, “Oh no! Are you okay? Are you still there?” I could hear laughter in the background, so I knew everything was fine. Apparently, she had dropped the phone while she was sitting on the slide. Her concern for my fast ride to the bottom of the slide was touching. She was relieved to know I was still on the line, and I assured her I enjoyed the ride.
This must be how God feels when we slide away from Him. He gives us a call; we get distracted and temporarily lose connection. God says, “I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you! Are you still there?” Glorify God in all that you do! Bring His love and joy to others! It means everything to Him! Amen!