Even as the snow blows by my window this morning, I am thinking about my garden!  I love to dig in the dirt, prepare the soil, and drop in the seeds of new vegetables.  I feel a strong connection to the earth and new growth as I envision the bounty to come in the fall.  This reminded me of a devotional reading I did the other day:

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” John 15:4, ESV.

Anyone familiar with planting fruit or vegetables connected to vines knows that the life-giving nutrition is accessed from the main vine. If that connection is severed, life and growth cannot continue. So it is also in our relationship with Christ. Jesus metaphorically refers to himself as the Vine in John’s gospel. He is our source of spiritual life and strength. As long as we abide in Him by staying in close communion, we draw spiritual nutrition from Him, His strength becomes our strength, His will becomes our will. Ultimately, we bear fruit as we stay connected. Fruit is evidence of our connection.

While we can bear fruit of various kinds as Jesus followers, nothing is greater than helping people find their way to Him and being, in turn, connected to the Vine. When we are intimately connected to Jesus receiving His life-giving power and being tied into His will that none perish but come to everlasting life, our lives produce beautiful fruit.
When we’re connected to the true Vine, we have all we need to produce fruit. We don’t have to worry whether there is sufficient strength available. We can abide in Him in confidence, grow strong spiritually, and produce a harvest of fruit that will perpetuate life and vitality. 

Stay connected with friends and family during this time of being alone, yet together.  Be the nourishment that someone needs and we can all grow and bear much fruit.

-Phil Anderson