Ready
“Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me.” – John 15:4-5
Set
After yet another win, a coach was asked what was behind her team’s success. She responded, “Our players are really connected.” By “connected,” the coach meant that the players made the effort to build strong relationships with each other. This connectedness led them to trust one another and to play well together, enabling them to fulfill their competitive potential.
To flourish in life, a similar connectedness is needed—but not just with other people. More foundationally, we must stay connected to Jesus. In John 15, Jesus describes this as remaining in Him. To “remain” in Christ is to cultivate a growing relationship with Him. If we fail to stay connected to Jesus, we won’t produce the fruit for which God created us. We’ll be like a branch severed from the vine, unable to receive the life-giving and fruit-empowering nutrients only the vine can give. We may seem successful in the world’s eyes, but in reality very few results of eternal value will happen through us. Jesus is blunt: “you can do nothing without me”—nothing of lasting worth that glorifies God.
How do we stay connected to Christ? Consider what is needed to build strong relational connections with teammates or fellow coaches. It requires time together, communication and a desire to grow closer to them. It takes the intentionality needed to prioritize the development of a strong relationship. Jesus desires this relational connection with us. He’s made it possible through His life, His death on the cross for our sins and His victorious resurrection. When we respond to Jesus with faith, He is present with us, communicating to us, and doing His work to transform us at the core of our being. Our relationship with Jesus grows as we give intentional time and effort to studying God’s Word, talking with Him through prayer and following Him in how He directs us to live.
To truly flourish, prioritize your relationship with Christ. Remain in Him. The more you cultivate a deepening connection to Jesus, the more you’ll produce the fruit He desires.
Go
On a spectrum from “closely connected” to “rarely spend time with him,” how would you characterize where your relationship with Jesus is currently?
What is one step you can take to cultivate deeper connection with Christ?
Workout
Overtime
“Lord Jesus, thank You that You desire a relationship with me. Through the grace and strength You give me, please help me to stay connected to You day by day. I pray that You would bear fruit through me that would honor You. Amen.”