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1st. Sunday
after Epiphany: 7th. January 2006
Being Focused.
Have a clear vision of what you want to be, plan your strategy
carefully and stay focused till you reach your goal, are words of
advice often heard in seminars, talks, etc., on self improvement and
the attainment of success. This is good advice, but is this all to
the life of a person who has chosen to be a child of God, who has
come to know Jesus as his Lord and Savior ?
When we reflect on this, we realize that there is much more than
this to a life committed to follow Jesus. We have in him a friend, a
counselor, a savior, a sure guide who knows the way to live and
serve, a companion closer than anyone, who hears all our prayers and
provides all our needs. All the talents and abilities we have are
given to us by God, unique to us, and how good these would be if we
develop them under his guidance.
Jesus told his disciples the following and these are recorded in the
Bible for us to read and learn.
Jesus says:
I am the 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. You are
already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in
me; and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it
must remain in me.
I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in and I in
him, he will bear
much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not
remain in me, he is like
a branch that is thrown way and it withers, such branches are picked
up, thrown into
the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you,
ask whatever you wish and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that
you bear much fruit,
showing yourselves to be my disciples.
( John 15:1 – 8)
Read the words of Jesus slowly a few times to understand what he is
saying. See the work of
the gardener, how he removes branches that do not bear fruit and
prunes the fruitful branches so that they shall bear much more fruit. See the relationship
between the vine and the branches
which is like our relationship with Jesus. Then reflect on the
following questions.
1. How do I see this illustration of Jesus?
2. How is my relationship with my Lord and Savior Jesus ?
3. Do my “fruits” glorify God as a disciple of Jesus ?
This is sent out by email once a week. If you have just come across
this for the
first time, and would like to receive it, please send email.
mailto:fvamw@tm.net.my?subject=Reflections
With
regards
Fred
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