Bearing Fruit

"...And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience..." (Colossians 1:10-11).

Today I want to focus on the highlighted part of these verses: bearing fruit in every good work.  When I think of bearing fruit in the Biblical context, I think of two passages, the one in Galatians on the Fruit of the Spirit and the one in John where Jesus talks about "I am the vine, you are the branches."  I want to look at those and think about how I might bear more fruit in every good work this year.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23).  As I look through this list, I see some fruits that have grown in me, and I see some that I would love to see grow this year.  But the holy spirit's living in me is what produces these many fruits.  I cannot do it on my own.  To bear more fruit will require more than my desire to do so.

This concept is explained by Jesus's words in John 15:
     "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. ... No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.    I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ... This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples" (John 15: 1-8).

I love that, even when we are being pruned in an area, it is so that we might bear more fruit.  I love that we can't do it on our own strength. How many times do I have to learn this truth?  I love that all the fruit is ultimately to the Father's glory.  I love that we are not abandoned in this journey, that we are in a relationship, the vine and branches; he is our support, our roots, our strength and power.

"...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6).