Tripping Over Typeset

Remember those days of early teen years when the thought of holding hands sent panic through the nervous system. Well, this scenario played out last Sunday evening. {I use this story with permission from daughter involved 🙂 hee hee}

Through a series of events, my daughter ended up sitting in the same row as another teen boy at church…boy at one end of row with seats separating them. At the conclusion of the service, my husband asked everyone to stand and grab the hand of the one standing next to them. Sheer panic and dread filled the row where the victims sat. As people reached across the aisles to grasp hands for prayer, my husband happened to glance over and see the events taking place in the 5th row back on the far right side. Anyone who knows my hubby can imagine what happened next. He pointed them out. Their faces…no…their entire being turned a brilliant glowing hue of red. Actually, if they had just held hands it wouldn’t have been noticed, but instead they had decided to connect through mere “pinky-touch”! (No sense in contacting boy germs at this critical moment…heehee)

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ~ John 15:5

Remaining in Him…staying connected to the Vine… Are we “pinky-touch” connected or intertwined?

In our busy lives of production and giving to others sometimes our fruitfulness is meager. In ministry, we are in the Word preparing sermons, lessons, Bible studies…to provide nutrients for others in our care, but— are we only taking in to give it all out again?

As a mom, I can be busy preparing food for those at the table and not feed myself. It’s similar to making pancakes in the morning. As fast as I’m flipping the flapjacks and getting them on the table, others are eating them up in full satisfaction. When I finish the batter and sit to partake, the pancakes left are few and cold. Resentment can set in if we are only preparing, feeding others and cleaning up afterwards.

We must be careful that in our preparing for others we don’t miss out on nourishing our own souls too…soaking in the Word ourselves for the simple fact of just receiving from Him.

When we are connected…intertwined with Him…fruitfulness is inevitable.

We have a farmer friend who shared his potato harvest with us last year. He had an abundant harvest and his field was overflowing with potatoes. He gladly shared out of his abundance…feeding not only my family but neighbors and other families as well. He fed others without depriving his own family of the harvest because they had already been satisfied through their own gathering.

When we give out of our abundance of food, we are not reluctant to give because we have already been fed. Giving out of abundance is just the overflow of a heart already filled. But when we are threadbare and “pinky-touch” connected to the Vine, nutrients cannot flow freely to produce abundant fruit and we wither on the vine…giving out of depleted storehouses instead of abundance.

Remaining in Him, staying connected, soaking in the Word for our own soul’s feeding is essential and vital to a fruit bearing life. Take time today to feed your own soul. Slow down enough to connect…not just “pinky-touch” but intertwined.