Pruning

This is our lemonade tree.  Never knew there was such a thing but now we know.  This poor tree was black with some sort of fungus or mold and produced fruit, that when it finally turned yellow, smelled like an over-ripe lemon.  As you can see, she is not looking very pretty for the severe pruning we did to her several months ago.  But, look at all those lemons!!!  The pruning was a challenge as the tree has long thorns that rival any medieval spear.  Fierce barbs they are.  Anyway, with pruning, the lemons are glorious.  Wonderful flavor and, as you can see, very prolific.  And so it is with us.

Pruning hurts but the dead wood must go.  Otherwise our fruit is not flavorful and our limbs get covered in a black soot-like film.  We don’t thrive in the way God designed for us, instead we languish and produce bad fruit.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³ Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. John 15:1-3

Father, 

Correction and training in righteousness hurts sometimes.  It hurts our pride, our confidence, and our self-image.  And a good thing it does.  These get in the way of Your shaping us into Your image, making us more like Christ.  Please forgive our vanity and pride.  May Your Holy Spirit be our guide to see it and put it to death ourselves.  And if we do not, we trust that You will because we know that You want to mold and shape us into Your children that can be useful in this world where we live.  Thank You, Father that you care enough to prune us.  Amen.