Sunflowers are beautiful flowers. I called them the goodie-two-shoes of flowers, because they are always pointing to the sun. They are like the kids in school that always sit up front to gain the attention of the teacher.
But they are called sunflowers because they follow the sun. When the sun rises in the east, they point east towards the sun. When the sun sets in the west, the sunflowers point to the west towards the sun.
Because they are always pointing to the sun, they are very productive. They are always growing and they produce so many seeds.
John 15:1-4 says,
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 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. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.”
Like the sunflower that receives it strength from the sun the branch receives its strength from the vine. They both must stay connected to their power source or they will suffer.
We must remember the word abiding is an active word. For us as followers of Christ it means believing, receiving, and trusting the words of Christ on a daily bases.
He says in John 1:12,
“To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
Abiding means believing that you are forgiven and that you are accepted as God's child. That every day, I have the mindset that I belong to God.
John 15:9 states,
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.”
Also, John 15:11 says,
“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”
Abiding means receiving God’s love for you and enjoying the joy found in Him today.
Jesus says in John 15:5,
“Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
Abiding means trusting that God will use your life to produce lasting and eternal fruit.
Let’s Pray. Believe – we belong to you. Receive – your love and joy. Trust – that lasting fruit is being produced.
Let us pray!
Blessings,
Pastor Lee & Gidget Athey