Lavender Returning

Laura Digan November 12, 2022 0 0

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John 15: 1-11 (NRSVA)

1 ‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. 2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. 3 You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

We started the week in the garden and today we return to the garden. 

I absolutely adore lavender. Last year I grew tubs and tubs of these aromatic plants. The plants were so luxuriant and fragrant. And this year to my utmost joy the plants survived the winter, coming back to full bloom over the summer.

Now I’ve tried in the past to grow lavender but it never comes back the next season. So what did I do differently last year that meant they survived the winter to bloom again? 

The secret friends, is that I pruned them. In the years past I never cut the plant back after it bloomed but last year on the advice of my Dad, I did. And the result was glorious, happy plants the following year! 

I’ve never liked pruning, I’m sentimental and always viewed it cruel (even to plants!). But seeing the results of the pruning I realised to keep healthy plants you have to prune back, take off all that is dead and unfruitful. 

And it is the same within our spiritual lives. It can be painful but to continue growing and deepening our relationship with our Father God we have to prune away all that no longer serves us, all that is no longer fruitful. Sometimes things and people are only meant to be in our lives for a season, and it is okay to let them go when we move into a new period of growth or fallow. 

What is important is that we remember that our Father God holds the pruning shears, we don’t do this on our own strength. 

PRAYER:

Father God, 

You engrafted us to the true vine that is Jesus. 

Keep us healthy and strong as we grow together,

Pruning and cutting back the dead leaves of our lives and the shoots that do not serve us. 

Amen