Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:4-5 NLT
It is likely to come as no surprise to you that in January the average gym will experience a 33 to 50% increase in volume. The second week of January is almost always the busiest of the year. New Year’s resolutions and goals typically prompt membership. However, statistics say that 80% of the New Year’s crowd drops off by the second week of February. Gyms generally sell memberships with the expectation that a mere 18% of people will remain active and use them. Specifically, that means there is a one in five chance that a new member will only use the membership consistently for no longer than a month.
No wonder the further statistics say that over 75% of American adults are failing at exercise. Only one-quarter of American adults are achieving the minimum amount of exercise suggested for a healthy life. It’s not that the 75% never start. It’s that they don’t have the commitment to stay with it.
Jesus compared our spiritual health to a vine that either bears fruit or doesn’t. For a grapevine to be fruitful, the branches must remain connected. If a branch is severed from the vine, grapes will not grow. He then made the direct connection. Jesus said that HE is the Vine, and WE are the branches. We have no possible way to develop and produce the fruit that allows us to fulfill our purpose unless we remain connected to Him.
Trying to become spiritually fit apart from a spiritual life is like the disconnected branch. There’s no life in it, and no ability to produce anything. The first step toward spiritual fitness is to make sure you remain connected to the source of life. Only by remaining connected to Him will character change happen. Like the grapes are produced from the life that is inside the branch connected to the vine, Jesus changes and grows you through His power from the inside out as you remain connected to Him.
Branches connected to the vine don’t have to try and stress to produce grapes. They simply stay connected to the vine and the vine steadily produces fruit. Again, that’s what Jesus does for us. As we remain in Him, we become strong and healthy, and the fruit that He desires us to produce is a natural result of that connection.
- When did you start following Jesus? Is your connection still strong? How is your fruit? Pray, “Jesus, show me where I need to strengthen my connection.”