Vines & Vineyards
Make your home in Me
The life-cycle of grapevines.
Grapevines are perennial plants, that is, they bloom during the spring and summer and die back
during the autumn and winter, growing again from rootstock the following spring.
If left to its own devices, a grapevine will grow into a thick, messy bush
of leaves and branches, so human intervention is needed
to keep things in check, and to encourage
the vine to produce
fruit.
INVITATION.
Begin with silence
Quiet settling in
A deep breath, slowly let it out
Meditation.
“Remain in Me, and I in you”
“Live in Me. Make your home in Me just as I do in you.
In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the Vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with Me.”
“I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant.”
DEVOTIONAL.
God invites us where we are.
Recently I was sharing with a friend that life can feel like seasonal patterns, and in a similar way our spiritual journey does as well. Not only do we experience the outward patterns of seasons but also the places of our interior whereby our life with God can feel like fall, winter, spring or summer. And sometimes a mix of two.
At times in our lives we may experience what feels like fall —the season where pruning happens (maybe some relationships are being pruned or habits, routines, even good things) or —a long winter where there’s some-thing going on but it’s under the soil.
The word “perennial” comes to mind. One Fall several years ago, right before winter, I decided to plant tulip bulbs for the purpose of “knowing” they would be dormant and rooting during winter. I anticipated they would be alive under the soil all winter long. And by spring green stems would burst out of the ground shouting yellow, red, fuchsia and white. Each bloom revealing its own unique vibrant color(s) just when my eyes needed to see life again. And this happens every year.
You see, for me, paying attention to the seasons creates space for God and I to dwell together.
It is often during long fall–winter seasons, that the interior workings of the Spirit draw us closest to God. Being inside when the air is crisp and cold, the pen swirls on paper providing intimate time to share with God journaling and moments for reflection. Sometimes even asking questions like: What do I find myself embracing? What is hard right now? How am I responding to challenges?
Whenever these times come, they give space to speak of our emotions (joy, worry, enlivenment, frustration, you get it, the highs and lows, the trials we find ourselves in the midst of), But also, gratitude, giving name to the beautiful moments of each day, and then the challenges, followed by faith and hope of things to come what I have coined— “Tomorrow’s Wonderful.”
Over time, I have noticed how formative this practice has been for my life, and most significantly in my relationship with God. He is revealing Himself, We come to know Him as consoler and protector, comforter and peacemaker. I imagine, bearing fruit for our life with others.
This pattern of noticing has been so helpful in trusting God is at work in the seen and unseen happenings of life. Where hopefully we may come to say often “I don’t know, but I trust God.”
Artist: Jackie Railsback
Within the invitation of seasons, Vines & Vineyards came to surface. A place to explore how God uses this imagery to guide us in His love. One place is in the care of vines & vineyards: from clearing the field, to planting the vines, cultivating the plant, pruning the branches, harvesting the fruit, and finally treading the winepress.
Over the next few months, we’ll sit with more of each care of vines portion.
Throughout this fall-winter season, may we listen and notice, more so, experience for ourselves some of the work God invites us into.
May we trust the seasons to God in our lives. As the Father is the vinedresser, so remain in Him, and He will remain in you. —Selah
