If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
- Jesus is depicted as the vine,
- The Father assumes the role of the husbandman,
- Christians are likened to the branches.
However, it is the men of this world who gather up the withered branches to burn them.
It's crucial to acknowledge that God actively engages in the pruning process. This is His divine will and His work. Yet, He utilizes individuals on earth to execute His purposes.
Nebuchadnezzar serves as a poignant example. As an unbelieving Gentile ruler, God employed him to chasten and "prune" Jerusalem. Despite the Jews' resistance to the surrounding Gentile nations, they were unable to comprehend that God would allow them to fall under the dominion of Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians. Nevertheless, this was the Lord's doing.
I am also reminded of Luke 6:38 (KJV)
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
God can and does utilize individuals of this world to support and assist His praying, obeying, and giving believers. We should neither become overly reliant on worldly elements and people nor reject the possibility of the Lord using them to meet our needs.
Have you heard the anecdote about the man trapped in the flood? As the waters began to rise, a man in a jeep offered to transport him to safety. However, he declined, believing that God would rescue him through prayer. As the floodwaters continued to rise, a man in a boat extended the offer of rescue, which he also declined, reaffirming his faith in divine intervention. Eventually, forced onto the roof of his house, he refused rescue from a passing helicopter, confident in God's deliverance.
Tragically, he perished in the floodwaters. In heaven, he questioned God about why his prayers for rescue went unanswered. God's response was, "My child, I sent you a jeep, a boat, and a helicopter."
God is ever-present and active in our lives, often working through the individuals around us.
#DivinePruning #GodsProvidence #TrustInTheProcess #GodsWorkThroughMen #FaithInAction
Trusting God: The Vine, the Branches, and Divine Pruning
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